Latest Publications

Strong public services are vital in a social market economy, but what they deliver matters much more than who delivers it. Our work is about understanding how to reform and modernise those services to deliver the greatest benefit to society.

Latest Publications:

Publication

Top of the class? Examining the state of leadership and management in education

Education is strongly linked with economic success, yet education quality in the UK lags behind many comparable countries. This report examines the central role that better leadership and management have to play in addressing this, and makes recommendations for how the government can improve the quality of leadership and management in the UK education system.
Published: 16 November 2023
Author(s): Richard Hyde, Niamh O Regan
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Publication

A bitter taste? Exploring the political constraints on public health policies

This is the second of three papers exploring tobacco, alcohol, obesity and gambling policy. It explores the political opportunities and constraints around action on these issues, based on a review of polling evidence and interviews with policymakers involved in implementing major public health policies.
Published: 28 August 2023
Author(s): Aveek Bhattacharya, Khazna Chami
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Publication

Carrots and sticks: Can governments do without public health regulation?

This is the first of three papers exploring tobacco, alcohol, obesity and gambling policy. It compares different types of policy approach, and concludes that more ‘interventionist’ and apparently politically challenging measures, such as strict regulations on availability and taxes, tend to be more effective.
Published: 27 July 2023
Author: Aveek Bhattacharya
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Publication

NHS at 75: A Reality Check and New Priorities

The NHS’ long anticipated workforce plan is finally here, but it won’t be enough to reverse the health spiral of decline. This pamphlet outlines ways of trying to fix some of the NHS’ problems, by proposing much more devolution of decision-making on services, both regionally and locally, and with a bigger focus on population health and prevention of ill health.
Published: 17 July 2023
Author: Lord Norman Warner
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Publication

A picture of health? Examining the state of leadership and management in healthcare

The UK’s healthcare system lags behind those of many comparable countries. In this report, we examine the role that better leadership and management can play in both lifting up the tail of under-performing healthcare providers and fostering more “outstanding” healthcare providers, so that healthcare outcomes in this country are much closer those of the best systems in the world.
Published: 03 July 2023
Author(s): Richard Hyde, Niamh O Regan
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Publication

Managing it better: Can leadership and management improve public service performance?

The UK public sector has performed comparatively poorly for a long time. This review highlights some of the key ways in which the existing research suggests that leadership and management in the public sector can play an important role in helping bring about improvements in public services.
Published: 19 April 2023
Author: Richard Hyde
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Publication

Identity and influence: A role for the rule of law in strengthening British national identity and maintaining the UK’s soft power

The rule of law has a part to play in defining and reinforcing Britishness, an especially important task for a country facing questions about its role in the world and internal challenges over unity. In this report, we lay out steps to restabilising the rule of law in the UK, to strengthen internal unity and ensuring that it remains a key “soft power” asset for the UK.
Published: 19 January 2023
Author: Richard Hyde
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Publication

The NHS: Decline and fall, or resurrection?

The NHS is in serious decline, plagued by extensive and deep-seated issues and facing immense pressures from the pandemic and Brexit. In this briefing, Lord Warner sets out a change programme that could reverse the decline – involving radical but necessary steps.
Published: 04 July 2022
Author: Lord Norman Warner
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Publication

Future-proofing justice: Making the civil and criminal courts world-leading by 2030

In recent decades the civil and criminal courts of England and Wales have demonstrated significant failings. These are causing considerable individual, societal and financial detriment and undermining the rule of law. This report surveys the current state of the courts and the likely impact of the current modernisation programme and outlines an agenda for reform that goes beyond the existing plans – in order to ensure that the UK’s courts are world-leading by 2030.
Published: 15 June 2022
Author: Richard Hyde
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