Reform's research and commentary is regularly featured in the media. You can find press coverage of Reform's work here.
We are always happy to comment on policy issues relevant to our work. If you would like a quote, an interview, or a background briefing, please email press@reform.uk.
Emilie Sundorph, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article for Policing Insight about the police complaints system. With some eighty per cent of complainants dissatisfied with the IPCC, is it time for a fundamental change?
“Police and Crime Commissioners should be encouraged to take on the responsibility for the complaints system and prove that their unique relationships with police forces can move the complaints system towards becoming an engine for a more democratically accountable and self-improving police service.”
Read the full article here.
Maisie Borrows, Researcher at Reform, appeared on BBC Radio Kent to discuss restricting prescriptions for over-the-counter medicines. She argued that the restriction is good for NHS finances as this will save money, which can then be reinvested elsewhere. She highlighted that the majority of people can afford to buy these medicines but appropriate means testing must be in place to identify and support those who cannot.
If you missed it, you can listen to the programme here.
On 3 November 2017, Maisie Borrows, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article for the Yorkshire Post on Reform‘s recent report Vive la devolution: devolved public-services commissioning. The article argues that devolution in Yorkshire will improve public-service commissioning.
You can read the full article here.
On Thursday 2 November 2017, Alexander Hitchcock, Senior Researcher at Reform, was featured in the Financial Times stating that more IT volunteers must be recruited to combat the pressures of cybercrime. You can read the full article here.
On 1 November 2017, Reform published a report titled Vive la devolution: devolved public-services commissioning. The report argues for the devolution of over £100 billion of public-services spending, including 95 per cent of the NHS’s budget. 38 large councils across England should control this spending to improve outcomes for citizens.
Media coverage included Civil Service World, Public Finance, Yorkshire Post, The MJ, Oxford Mail, Local Government Chronicle, National Health Executive and Public Sector Executive.
The House of Commons briefing paper on local administrative boundaries also references the report.
Louis Coiffait, Head of Education at Reform, was featured in an article by TES. Louis Coiffait is head of education at the Reform thinktank, which in February published a report questioning Teach First’s value for money. It is the most expensive of the initial teacher training routes, with Teach First entrants making up 7 per cent of postgraduates training to become secondary teachers, but representing 11 per cent of total training costs. “It was founded in the Blair era when everyone was awash with cash,” says Coiffait. “They’ve managed to navigate the period of austerity up to now very well actually, [but] that pressure around value for money is not going away – if anything it’s increasing.”
Read the full article here.
Maisie Borrows, Researcher at Reform, spoke on a panel at a Social Market Foundation event on digital identity verification. The event was covered by Perspectives at Glint, a new global currency. A full write-up of the event can be found here.
Andrew Haldenby, Director at Reform, wrote an article for the The Telegraph following the launch of Reform's report Getting into shape: Delivering a workforce for integrated care. Andrew argues that's the Government's recent efforts to lift the pay cap is not going to fix the public sector's recruiting crisis and that these services need a modern workforce, recruited and trained in a very different way to today.
You can read the full article here
Louis Coiffait, Head of Education at Reform, shared findings from Reform's upcoming school workforce report at ResearchED's annual conference on Saturday 9 September. He called for the government to replace recruitment bursaries paid up front, with phased retention rewards. He also outlined the benefits of schools groups (both MATs and federations) over stand-alone schools, and the need for a regional - rather than national - approach to the school workforce.
You can read the full article here
Emilie Sundorph, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article for the Times Higher Education titled 'Widening participation: LSE bucks trend as ‘elite’ universities struggle'. This is following the publication of a Reform report earlier this week which assesses university spending on widening participation. The article argues that despite universities putting more money into improving access, the top universities are still struggling to diversify their intakes.
"While universities benefit from autonomy, and should continue to do so, they also have a responsibility to show fee-paying students, and the taxpayers subsidising loans, that funding is being spent to the best effect. Holding institutions to account for making real contributions to social mobility may be a better place to focus than how much their top executives are worth".
You can read the full article here.
On the 5th September, The Guardian newspaper wrote an exclusive article about Reform's recent report Joining the elite: how top universities can enhance social mobility. The article comments on the 'incredibly slow' progress that England's top universities have made in widening access to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, despite having schemes in place that are designed to widen access to their undergraduate courses. The article highlights key findings from the Reform report which has found that whilst English universities overall have increased access for disadvantaged students, this progress is skewed towards lower- and middle-tier universities.
Read the full article here
Louis Coiffait, Head of Education at Reform appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss whether councils would be able to plan enough school places for the predicted 19% increase in secondary pupils. He argued that although councils and schools had managed the 'population bulge' going through primary well, it would only be possible in secondary if they and (the greater proportion of) academies worked closely together in partnership. You can listen to his interview from 2.07.37.
Alexander Hitchcock, Senior Researcher at Reform, wrote an article for The Yorkshire Post titled Digital technology is smarter policing. He argues that that police in Yorkshire need to embrace technology to combat rising cybercrime.
The full article can be found here
Dr Kate Laycock, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article for City A.M. titled 'The NHS is bad value for money: Automation, not bureaucracy, will put its broken house in order'. Kate discusses the enormous scope that automation and technology can play in improving productivity and efficiency in the NHS, for example by reducing the administrative burden on back office and front line staff. "The debate on the future of the NHS is too often dominated by calls for extra resources. Instead, the way to keep the service sustainable is to improve productivity. This rests on the workforce and wider public embracing technology. Getting the house in order is not a matter of filling in the cracks with old solutions, rather the house must be modernised to ensure that it is ready for challenges ahead."
Read the full article here
Jim Boyd, Deputy Director at Reform, appeared on Sky News to discuss rising social care costs and how to meet growing demand. Jim highlights recent research by Reform that proposes replacing the current ‘pay-as-you-go’ (PAYG) approach to financing later-life care with a prefunded arrangement.