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.
Alexander Hitchcock, Senior Researcher at Reform, appeared on Sky News to discuss the issue of NHS funding. He argued that the NHS needs a new model of care, not more funding. Care is not being delivered efficiently, with too much being done in hospitals and not enough in the community.
Andrew Haldenby, Director at Reform, wrote an article for The Telegraph titled ‘This is why the NHS is facing such severe winter pressure’. The article asks how severe is the “winter crisis”? What is causing it? And what should be done to prevent it happening again. The full text can be found below:
On Monday 18 December 2017, Reform held a speech by the Rt Hon David Lidington MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, on prison reform. Coverage from the event includes The Guardian, The Telegraph and BBC News.
On the 14th December 2017, Reform held its inaugural social mobility conference, setting the agenda over the rest of this parliament for this cross-cutting issue. The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP delivered the keynote speech, announcing the new Department for Education social mobility strategy. There was also three panels looking at each phase of citizen’s lives.
Coverage was included in The Telegraph, TES, BBC News, BT, Schools Week, FE News, Politics Home, The Guardian and Nursery World.
Maisie Borrows, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article for GLINT, arguing that blockchain could provide the backbone for a new, more efficient and secure public service identity management system. This is following the release of Reform‘s report The future of public service identity: blockchain.
You can read the full article here.
In a budget response, Emilie Sundorph, Researcher at Reform, argues that the budget was right to focus on developing the skills needed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but that equipping the future workforce still faces major obstacles. The article was published in Public Finance on Thursday 23 November 2017.
You can read the full article here
In a Budget response, Andrew Haldenby, Director at Reform argues: “Today Philip Hammond faced down outspoken demands for big spending increases on the NHS. Instead he will hold the NHS establishment to account for its painfully slow progress in modernising the Service. He is absolutely right to do so.” The article was published in The Telegraph on the 22nd November 2017.
You can read the full article here
Alexander Hitchcock, Senior Researcher at Reform, wrote an article for The Times Red Box exploring whether the public really are as sick of austerity as it is being claimed.
Surveys show that the number of people feeling the effects of austerity are falling and public satisfaction in services, particularly NHS and police, has been increasing whilst budgets have been falling (the only exception to this is social care).
“For some, higher public spending would be the right response to the shock general election result. But ministers will do well to recall that debate on the government’s finances during the election campaign was conspicuous by its absence.”
Read the full article here
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.