Clarity News

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Health Inequalities

Why is Workforce Health Deteriorating?

Explore the growing challenge of workforce health deterioration in the latest Clarity Digest. This edition examines insights from the Health Foundation’s report, highlighting rising work-limiting health conditions and offering a new approach to support worker health and keep people attached to the labour market.

Health Inequalities

Why Are Infant Mortality Rates so Varied Across England?

Discover the key social and health factors linked to England's regional infant mortality disparities. This latest edition of Clarity Digest delves into findings from the Nuffield Trust, highlighting the impact of severe obesity, housing conditions and deprivation on infant mortality, along with recommendations for change.

Health Inequalities

Why is Housing Important to Health?

Improving housing conditions can play a crucial role in reducing strain on the NHS and addressing health inequalities. In this blog, we explore the link between poor-quality housing and its far-reaching effects on both physical and mental health.

Health Inequalities

The Link Between Housing and Health

In this edition of the Clarity Digest, we explore key findings from the latest research on how inadequate housing conditions are directly impacting public health and offer practical solutions to improve housing and health outcomes.

Financial Recovery

Reflections on Navigating Financial Challenges in the NHS

Paul Sly reflects on the financial pressures facing the NHS, highlighting the challenges of managing escalating costs and ensuring the success of Cost Improvement Programmes (CIPs). He emphasises the need for strategic transformation and the resilience of healthcare professionals in navigating these turbulent times.

Financial Recovery

Optimising Estate Management: A Key to NHS Cost Savings

The NHS faces significant financial challenges due to its vast estate, but strategic property management offers substantial opportunities for cost savings. This blog explores methods for optimising the NHS property portfolio, including categorising properties, managing leases and enhancing cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Navigating the CEO Exodus: Preparing NHS Leadership for the Future

Paul Sly discusses the impending crisis in NHS leadership due to a high number of CEOs nearing retirement and the challenges in attracting and retaining senior leaders. He explores strategies for addressing these challenges, including strategic workforce planning, leadership development and fostering organisational resilience.

Next Steps for Labour: Pledges, Priorities, and Plans

With a new government in place and a forthcoming 10 Year Plan for health services, the focus on public health and addressing health inequalities is more critical than ever. We examine how Labour's health inequalities and prevention commitments are shaping into actionable plans and priorities.

Health Inequalities

Clarity Digest: Learning Disabilities Health Inequalities Edition

The latest issue of Clarity Digest focuses upon health inequalities for people with learning disabilities. Learn about the key findings and recommendations to address these pressing health disparities and improve care outcomes.

The Role of Public Health Observatories (PHOs) in Modern Health Systems

This blog highlights what are Public Health Observatories, their role, and their significance to public health policy and practice.

Financial Recovery

The Task Ahead For The New Health And Social Care Secretary

Liane Langdon considers how the new Health and Social Care Secretary faces a daunting task in navigating the future of the NHS. With lessons from past reforms and a call for compassionate leadership, Liane explores how Wes Streeting can champion sustainable change and invest in social care to build a healthier society.

Financial Recovery

How to Deliver In-Year Financial Savings in the NHS

Andrew Moore discusses the urgent need for a unified approach to address financial challenges in the UK health sector. Emphasising the importance of collaboration amongst organisations and clear financial reporting, he highlights how experienced professionals and prompt action are critical for successful financial recovery. By aligning strategies and leveraging expertise, health systems can navigate financial difficulties more effectively.

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams: Actions for systems and our key lessons

Despite systems making progress in establishing integrated neighbourhood teams, achieving this goal and delivering the actions in the planning guidance can be challenging. Recently, Clarity have been delighted to work with one system to advance their plans in this area. This blog delves into three important lessons we have been able to draw from it.

Clarity Digest: Health Inequalities edition

Discover the latest "Clarity Digest" focusing on Health Inequalities. This report reveals stark projections for 2040, highlighting significant disparities in health outcomes between the most and least deprived areas. Key findings and recommendations address major risk factors and call for stronger policies and investment in primary care.

The Health and Care Industry: Unpacking AI Bias

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the health and care industry, but with this progress comes a critical challenge: bias. This blog delves into how biased AI systems can lead to misdiagnoses and unequal treatment due to non-diverse datasets.

These boots are made for ... Corporate Social Responsibility

Associate Director Jane Williams details her role in the growth of Men Walking and Talking (MWAT), a mental health initiative fostering community and support through walking groups across England and Wales, and how she supported MWAT in policy and process management to prepare them for NHS collaborations and CIC status.

Health Inequalities

The Transformation Imperative for UK Health and Care Delivery: A Movement Towards Gender Equity

NHS England's recent appointment of Dr Sue Mann as its first National Clinical Director for Women's Health is an exciting and important development as system-wide transformation is needed to address the gender bias pervading health and care delivery in the UK. Despite a greater focus on patient-centered approaches, women are often failed due to ingrained gender biases.

Event Recap: Digital Transformation in Health Care

At our recent networking event at Saïd Business School, Oxford, Ross Fullerton shared insights on the challenges and opportunities within digital healthcare. He emphasised the importance of strategic long-term investment in digital healthcare to enhance resilience, interoperability, and patient care.

Health Inequalities

New Health Inequalities Toolkit Launched

In a pioneering collaboration, Clarity, the NHS Confed, Leeds Beckett University and the Care Quality Commission have unveiled a comprehensive toolkit aimed at addressing health inequalities within Integrated Care Systems. This initiative, born from a detailed research project in 2023, sought to analyse the allocation and impact of hypothecated health inequalities funding. Featuring insights from over 85% of integrated care systems, the toolkit encapsulates best practices and practical strategies to empower healthcare leaders. It highlights the crucial role of behavioural factors in funding allocation and showcases effective ways to leverage investments for maximum benefit. Discover how this toolkit can support your efforts to combat health disparities and enhance health equity.

Three Key Success Factors for an Effective Discharge to Assess Scheme

Amidst the rising delayed discharge rates and a flurry of new schemes being developed, this article highlights three key success factors essential for an effective Discharge to Assess (D2A) scheme from the perspective of patients and carers, hospitals, and the wider system.

My first six months as a management consultant

I joined Clarity in October 2023 as part of the Graduate Scheme. It has been a novel and exhilarating experience so far and I have been reflecting upon how I arrived here and my first six months here.

Solving the Wicked Problem of Health Inequalities

Tackling the problem of health inequalities remains one of the most pressing priorities for public sector organisations. This article outlines some of its complexities, examples of best practice, and a possible route forwards.

Hybrid Working: Making it a success for your organisation

A rapid switch to hybrid working prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic has bought many challenges. How can we overcome these issues and make hybrid working a success for both employers and employees?

Three takeaways from the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Digital Awards 2023

From what "Good" looks like to key success factors, this article takes a closer look at some of the winners from this years awards.

Digital Transformation: Overcoming Key Challenges with Simple Steps

There are a myriad of challenges in Digital Transformation. Here are some simple but effective steps to overcome five common challenges.

The journey from healthcare professional to management consultant: a graduate's perspective.

One of our graduates, Nick Jones, talks about his experiences making the switch from healthcare professional to management consultant, and discusses some of the skills that have enabled him to succeed.

Total Isolation: Covid-19 learnings from Western Australia

Visiting Western Australia (WA) in August 2022 I cannot help noticing the similarities with post-pandemic England. Life seemingly runs along as normal; there are sporadic mask mandates in place, although these are clearly communicated to the public, and plenty of hand sanitiser on offer.

Some clarity on Clarity: A glimpse into the Graduate Consultant’s life

Life at Clarity as three new graduates has been eye-opening, challenging and extremely rewarding. Having come from vastly diverse backgrounds, Clarity has fostered an environment of mutual respect, openness and honesty that has allowed us to thrive.

October Associates Event

Being a virtual company it's all too important to have time to gather as a Clarity team, and as a wider associates team, in person. This quarter’s event, hosted at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden provided the opportunity to connect, share ideas and talk to one another.

The Art of Interpreting Data: A guide for NHS staff

Whether you are a Chief Executive, Operational Manager or part of the Clinical and Nursing team, analyzing and interpreting data will already be a vital part of your job. Data can be represented in various forms from the latest board pack to dashboards displaying patient demographics. Regardless of the style and format, the ability to understand what the data is telling you and identify trends will be essential for decision making.

Clarity at the Powerman World Series, Alsdorf

Wearing his Clarity branded tri-suit, Simon Sly competed in the European Duathlon Championship in Alsdorf, Germany on the 10th April 2022.

Introducing: Nana Baffoe

Nana joins us from NHS England as a Managing Consultant with heaps of operational experience in regional and national programme and project

NHS Integrated Care Systems: Clarity and BestOutcome (PM3)

BestOutcome (PM3) and Clarity Consulting Associates Ltd are partnering to help our NHS clients migrate to the new Integrated Care System (ICS) structures. This can be a complex process and we are providing a common PPM technology platform (PM3) and programme/change management services (Clarity Consulting) to work with our clients to deliver a successful ICS transition.

Joining consultancy as a graduate: what to expect

Fergus Laity, an NHS Graduate Management Trainee with experience in operational management, patient flow and change delivery.

Closing the gap – Sustaining change in health inequalities

If some good has come of the last 18 months, it’s the stark relief into which the pandemic has brought the need for equal access to care for underserved groups across the country, and the speed with which the NHS has taken this on board and responded at all levels.

February Associate Breakfast – Summary

Fergus Laity, an NHS Graduate Management Trainee with experience in operational management, patient flow and change delivery.

A Summary of Integrating Care - Next Steps to Building Strong and Effective ICSs across England

In late November 2020, NHS England and NHS Improvement published their expectation that all parts of the health and care system in England would work together in ICSs by April 2021, in Integrating care: Next steps to building strong and effective integrated care systems across England.

The 12 Days of Winter

In the spirit of Christmas, Clarity’s Sarah Hate and associate Laura Marshall reflect on how they set up a virtual Regional Winter Room.

Clarity: now ISO 9001 accredited

With it becoming increasingly important for our clients, and a key requirement for public sector tenders, back in November 2019 Clarity decided to seek ISO 9001 accreditation.

Reflections on the HFMA WM 2020 Virtual Conference

This year’s HFMA West Midlands Branch Conference, “Festival of Finance”, took place just over a two weeks ago now – and for the 500 plus delegates that attended I am sure they would agree it was a great success. As a HFMA Branch committee member, I’m very proud to have played a small part in hosting this event.

Clarity Networking event

Due to the ongoing restrictions our normal face to face quarterly networking event was replace by a Virtual breakfast meeting over ZOOM!

Insight into the South East ICC for Coronavirus

When the Covid-19 outbreak hit the UK, I was given the opportunity to work within the South East Incident Coordination Centre (SE ICC).

Is your board structure fit for the future?

For many, the last six months was all about survival and for those still in business, the next six months will focus on recovery.

Learning from Covid-19: Is your Board ready for the next peak?

The ‘new normal’, may well be having to react to further waves of Covid-19 for years to come.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Making Your Board Count

Here a work-life balance isn’t some intangible promise buried in a policy never to be delivered, but a daily reality.

Remote Working in Strange Times

Here a work-life balance isn’t some intangible promise buried in a policy never to be delivered, but a daily reality.

Personal Reflections on Mark Smith

Through Clarity Mark, with the help of Andrew Moore his co-founding partner, started what felt like an extended family.

7 Free COVID Courses for Healthcare Professionals (and Everyone Else)

In our ongoing efforts to stay updated on the development of the novel coronavirus, the emerging science behind it and how varying national responses across the globe have fared, we recently completed COVID-19: Tackling the Novel Coronavirus, a short course hosted by the Futurelearn platform.

Clarity: Staying flexible in a crisis

"Don't wait until you're in a crisis to come up with a crisis plan." - Phil McGraw

Meet the Graduates

Clarity's most recent graduates discuss how they have adapted from being a student to a Clarity Consultant.

Healthcare Systems podcast: An interview with Paul Sly

Paul discusses his experience of leading transformation programmes in healthcare systems & the key factors for successful joint up working.

Clarity's Graduate Scheme

We have an excellent graduate scheme here at Clarity, and we are always on the look-out for strong candidates for our scheme. By working with universities and identifying students in their second or third year, we can build a strong relationship with individuals, understand how they tick and support them through what can be a challenging time.

Steps towards Integrated Care

Some elements of NHS commissioning structures have a way of coming full circle and unfortunately the old adage of “never throw away the signs” has a ring of truth to it!

Evidence Based Medicine Cuts Both Ways – But do we respond accordingly?

As part of my MSc in Psychology, which like most areas of study entailed a considerable amount of research, evidence gathering and critical analysis, I was asked to research Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), or as it is more commonly referred to, Dyspraxia.

7 Highlights from Confed19

This year some of the Clarity team went as guests to Confed19. Having never been, this was a great opportunity to see how the various elements of the industry market themselves and to explore some of the latest products and innovations available to support providers in delivering better care.

Making Change Happen – 2018/19 Bedding In and Building Up

This year some of the Clarity team went as guests to Confed19. Having never been, this was a great opportunity to see how the various elements of the industry market themselves and to explore some of the latest products and innovations available to support providers in delivering better care.

Experts as Leaders to Expert Leaders

At Clarity's Associate event in London, guest speaker Peter Lees, chief executive and medical director of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management spoke about medical experts transitioning to expert leaders.

Clarity's New Associate Relationship Manager

Having recently joined Clarity as Relationship Manager to support our growing Associate base, I am enjoying mining the deep network of relationships that stem from our small but growing team. A network of Associates that offer such a breadth of experience within NHS transformation and change, it’s truly remarkable. Offering real support solutions to our over-stretched NHS at a time of such change.

What Future for Clinical Leaders?

At Clarity's Associate event in Birmingham, guest speaker Dr Sarah Schofield spoke about the future for Clinical Leadership.

New Beginnings

I am delighted to be joining Clarity Consulting alongside existing partners Mark Smith and Andrew Moore. As a Clarity Associate since the start of the company in 2015, I have watched them grow under Mark and Andrew’s stewardship from a start-up into a thriving business that now employs more than 15 full-time staff and has a network of 100+ skilled associates.

Primary Care in the next 5 years – Where is it going and what has to be done?

England’s demographics are radically changing and there is now a much larger population of over 65 year-olds, which has an impact on primary care. Compared to the average rate of a 30 year-old, over 75s use three times more resources, and over 80s five times more. The increasing older population has also led to a 50% increase in dementia in the past decade.

A summary of Clarity's March Conference

Hosted by the Said Business School, Oxford, the day was an opportunity for all to share progress and learning from projects being worked on around the company, and to catch up with friends old and new.

HiAP Conference – Health in all Policies

The future of the NHS depends on a reshape of the current care system, with a shift in priority towards prevention and public health. Many CCGs are already driving change in their health systems, improving models of care at a local level. But typically these changes take time to disperse into the wider healthcare ecosystem.

Entering the world of consultancy

Since I was young I've been interested in healthcare, and especially fascinated by mental health and psychology. At 16 I worked for three months in a Doctor's surgery, which gave me an insight into the kind of pressures that those working in the healthcare sector experience on a daily basis. Throughout my BSc in Psychology I grew more attuned to the organizational and clinical side of psychology, making it difficult to choose which route to take following my degree. After toying with the idea of doing an MSc in either organizational or clinical psychology, I opted for the organizational route, aware that I could enter a career in the healthcare sector that would also incorporate attributes of organizational psychology.

Just how significant is Scan4Safety for the NHS?

Scan4Safety is a pioneering programme led by the Department of Health that is improving patient safety, increasing clinical productivity and driving operational efficiency in the NHS. Scan4Safety is taking lessons from other sectors to improve traceability and efficiency in the NHS through the use of international barcoding standards (GS1 standards) and common ways of doing business (PEPPOL).

STPs: Publish and be damned!

Three Councils have published their STP submissions, against the express wishes of NHS England and NHS Improvement. They may have done so for a variety of reasons but two have been repeatedly cited:

Clarity support of Work Experience Students – “bring your child to work day”

In June, Clarity welcomed four students to the company to gain a unique insight into what we do day-to-day.

Categories

Financial Recovery

Health Inequalities

Featured Posts

December 17, 2024

Why is Workforce Health Deteriorating?

October 30, 2024

Why Are Infant Mortality Rates so Varied Across England?

September 17, 2024

Why is Housing Important to Health?

Clarity Consulting Associates Ltd. registered in England & Wales. No: 09610817. Registered office: 86-90 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE, United Kingdom

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