The Nuffield Trust

The Nuffield Trust is an independent health think tank. We aim to help achieve a high quality health and social care system that improves the health and care of people in the UK by providing evidence-based research and policy analysis and informing and generating debate.

Standing independent both of the NHS and of politics, funded largely by its own endowment, and small enough to respond quickly to the volatile political and policy environment, we produce incisive commentary and research with three main aims:

  • To influence policy and practice by generating and synthesising information on health and social care to facilitate both better policy and better practice
  • To challenge and support those involved in planning and delivering healthcare to think more creatively and innovatively about how to adapt and redesign services to meet changing patient needs
  • To provide information on the evidence, statistics, facts and research which politicians and policymakers use in their interventions in the health and care system in the UK.

We seek to be respected and highly-regarded by our main audiences; to remain separate from but expert in the NHS and social care; and above all to use our independence, highly skilled staff and unique position to be a force for good in improving the health and social care of the UK population.


Latest reports

The elective care backlog and ethnicity

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust looks at variation in treatment rates for routine hospital care, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. In England there is a huge backlog in routine hospital care, with more than 7 million patients waiting to begin hospital treatment as of August 2022. It is now...

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Falling short

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust looks at how far have we come in improving support for unpaid carers in England. People who provide care unpaid for a family member or a friend due to illness, disability, or mental health provide a vital role bridging gaps in state-funded support. But despite the...

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Inequality on the inside

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust uses hospital data to understand the key health care issues for women in prison. This new research, which was funded by the Health Foundation, underlines the challenges and risks women in prison face because of barriers to accessing health and care services.  All prisoners have a...

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Integrating health and social care

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust looks at a comparison of healthcare integration policy and progress across the four countries of the UK. Across the four counties of the UK, integration of health and social care has been a policy priority driven by the needs of a population that is living longer...

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Fit for the future

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust looks at what the NHS can learn about digital health care from other European countries. The rapid increase in the use of technology during the Covid-19 pandemic shows that digital health technology will be a fundamental part of health system recovery and for preparing for the...

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Attracting, supporting and retaining a diverse NHS workforce

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust looks at representation of under-served groups at all levels of the health service. The vital work of the NHS would be impossible without the contribution of a broad range of people, and a diverse and inclusive workforce ensures better care for patients. Yet despite considerable efforts...

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Injustice? Towards a better understanding of health care access challenges for prisoners

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust looks at prisoners' access to hospital services and the impact of the pandemic. Many prisoners still struggle to access hospital services despite their significant health care needs and early data suggests the pandemic has worsened access further. In this report, we consider new evidence relating to...

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Return on investment of overseas nurse recruitment: lessons for the NHS

This report from UK think tank the Nuffield Trust looks at the costs and benefits of recruiting nurses overseas. The recruitment of nurses from overseas is vital for securing the staff we need in order to meet ambitious national goals to expand the workforce - but what are the costs and benefits? This major new...

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