David Buck

I've got to say, I'm not sure why this has become such a big media story. I might be wrong but my current view is that it's overblown. Flu arrived early, which is why it's breaking 'time of year' records, but it's only in the medium threshold and could peak lower than last year, let alone 2022-23.

Looks like a great opportunity for a policy-oriented health economist

Awful policy neglect, we've got into a state where #dentalhealth is #goingbackwards to 1998 - in terms of #decay (though to some extent accounted for by having more natural teeth) and self-reported impact on #health (that's damning) #whatamess www.gov.uk/government/s...

I always make sure to somehow squeeze this graph into my teaching because I think it’s just very important to know this.

Must read report from @britishfuture.bsky.social @belongnetwork.bsky.social important for place based public health @lgawellbeing.bsky.social @adphuk.bsky.social @felly500.bsky.social @davidjbuck.bsky.social @amc15.bsky.social @tracyd-ph.bsky.social @sebrees1.bsky.social @stkaye.bsky.social

Spoonful of Sugar: hospital food and medicine Explore the history of hospital catering and find out more about the societal, cultural and technological shifts that can be traced through the history of NHS hospital food.

If you haven't seen this, you should, and the other animations from the fab @thekingsfund.bsky.social knowledge services team features.kingsfund.org.uk/2021/04/hosp...

OBR chair Richard Hughes resigns over Budget day publishing error The government's official forecaster inadvertently published a crucial Budget document early.

Something that is likely to be overlooked in all this: Richard helped broaden fiscal thinking on public investment, the wider balance sheet & the crucial implications of health/disability for growth, spending & revenues. Hope that thinking continues.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Promotional graphic for The King's Fund featuring a call to action to apply for the Population Health Programme. The graphic has a geometric design in pink and teal with text overlay.

Leading in the health and care space means navigating politics, ambiguity and doing it with purpose. Leadership for Population Health programme helps leaders work across sectors and places to shift systems, influence structures and create lasting change.
https://bit.ly/3JUqSS4

'Ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030 is within reach thanks to an action plan that will include routine testing at A&Es.'

In our latest blog Richard Angell CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust, considers the success of opt-out HIV testing in A&E so far.

Read in full today: bit.ly/4rwezMO

Nuffield Trust responds to reports that NHS will pay more for branded new medicines Sally Gainsbury responds to reports that the NHS will pay a higher price for branded new medicines.

We've responded to reports that the NHS will pay a higher price for branded new medicines as a condition of a UK-US trade deal.

Read the statement from @sallygainsbury.bsky.social 👇

What a day. 1) Pharma win, who loses? 2) 5 day strike before Xmas 3) Richard Hughes goes. 4) Jess Studdart to no10 adviser on devo. All have mplications for health and/or health policy.

Yes, I wouldn't be good company. Hope all well with you!

I'm still dangling...

Richard Hughes of #OBR was/is great. Understands the critical two-way connection between #helath and the #economy. And how dependent they are, and health is so much more than the NHS. Will be missed in that role, hope to see in others soon.

Never get on a @serailway.bsky.social train from Charing Cross with me. Screwed again. #everytime. Thankfully it's no longer 5 days a week.

Wow, congrat to @jesstud.bsky.social! More integrated place policy on the cards? How will that interact with DHSC's neighbourhoods? And mayoral devo? Qns Jess will be in a great position to influence www.lgcplus.com/politics/wor...

"These estimates suggest that by 2025, Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time. We estimate that investment was reduced by between 12% and 18%, employment by 3% to 4% and productivity by 3% to 4%"

Link: www.nber.org/papers/w34459

In his blog this month, ADPH President, @felly500.bsky.social, explores some of the greatest hits of #PublicHealth, what made them a success, and what we can learn from them to improve health and wellbeing now.

👀Read in full ➡️bit.ly/4rnNMCc

Webinar: Accelerating Innovation Systems: how ICBs can drive innovation adoption How can ICBs use their role as strategic commissioners to accelerate the adoption and spread of high impact, evidence-based innovations - that improve population health, reduce health inequalities and increase value for money? ICBs have been called to act as “pioneers of reform”, taking lead res...

As part of our Accelerating Innovation Systems programme, @innovationunit.bsky.social​ worked with 9 ICBs and Health Innovation Networks to explore how ICBs support innovation adoption and act as strategic commissioners.


Hear insights on 11 December, 10.30⬇️

The tough choices at the heart of the government’s dispute with big pharma The government has been locked in a dispute with pharmaceutical companies for a number of months over how much the NHS pays for new branded medicines. Sally Gainsbury and Huseyin Naci set out the issu...

This week’s budget brought no resolution to the dispute between the government and the pharmaceutical industry over the price the NHS will pay for new branded medicines 💊

Read the article from @sallygainsbury.bsky.social and Huseyin Naci for a summary of what's at stake for the NHS 👇

% who say each 2025 Budget policy was the 'right thing to do' (1/3)

Increase gambling taxes: 82%
Freeze rail fares: 82%
Reducing energy bills by £150 a year by reducing green levies: 75%
Increasing minimum wage: 71%
Mansion tax: 67%
Decreasing biz rates for retail/hospitality/leisure: 64%

Today's 70% fall in net migration to 205,000 was not one of the six stories in BBC ten o'clock news.

Ta massive assymetry in whether rises in immigration and falls in immigration are considered newsworthy by broadcasters

Down by 140k isn't thought to be.

Up by 140k undoubtedly would be.

What does the Autumn Budget 2025 mean for health and care? | The King's Fund Siva Anandaciva reviews the Autumn Budget 2025. What does it mean for health and care services and the people who rely on them?

What does the Autumn Budget 2025 mean for health and care?

Siva Anandaciva looks at the main announcements and what they mean for health and care services – and the people who rely on them. https://bit.ly/4ps166E

Most of the public think net migration increased last year, when in fact numbers halved.

New findings from the Ipsos/British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker show that 56% of the public thinks immigration increased last year. Just 1 in 6 realise it was down
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

"The more government does, the more the public want it to do", no need to fear nanny state arguments. Do the lessons from tobacco control translate to other commercial determinants of health? #ADPHConf25 #CDOH.

Great to be at
@adphuk.bsky.social ann conference today, and to be listening to Lord Filkin on what needs to happen now... #ADPHConf25

No prizes for guessing who grok chose sorry

I asked grok who was the better role model for humanity, Jesus Christ or Elon Musk. GUESS WHAT.

Having been involved in the roll out of social prescribing it’s good to see that there is indeed an impact. This team used sensible outcome measures and showed a small but definite change in multiple indicators.
Time to stop trying to answer daft questions about SP tho (eg reductions in admissions)

Impact of the rollout of the national social prescribing link worker programme on population outcomes: evidence from a repeated cross-sectional survey Background Social prescribing link workers have been rolled out nationally through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme. Link workers connect people to advice and support to address the non-medic...

ICYMI: A #mustread on #socialprescribing. First - at-scale - quant evaluation of effect in general practice i've seen. Small individual impacts, scaling significantly at population level. Congrats to @lukemunford.bsky.social and colleagues bjgp.org/content/earl...

This is the point. Policy *should not* be adjusted or fine-tuned in response to minor forecasting judgements. Decisions about whether or not to break a prominent manifesto promise *should not* depend on minor forecasting judgements. This stuff matters. We've got to do better than this.