Chris Ham
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chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham
@chrisham.bsky.social
1.3K followers 350 following 85 posts

Health policy and management, cycling, walking, theatre, reading, and above all family, emeritus prof at University of Birmingham and formerly CEO of The Kings Fund

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Sir Chris Ham, is a health policy academic who started life as a political scientist. He was chief executive of the King's Fund from 2010 to 2018. He was professor of health policy and management at University of Birmingham's health services management centre from 1992 to 2010. He was seconded to the Department of Health where he was Director of the Strategy Unit working with Alan Milburn and John Reid until 2004. .. more

Public Health 41%
Medicine 26%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Chris Ham

thekingsfund.bsky.social
The King's Fund @thekingsfund.bsky.social · 4d
The NHS 10 Year Health Plan will only succeed if we invest in management.

Here are 5 reasons why strong, skilled management is critical to better care.

Full long read: https://bit.ly/437AuPW

@profjudithsmith.bsky.social @chrisham.bsky.social

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · 4d
Good morning Newcastle

Reposted by Chris Ham

thekingsfund.bsky.social
The King's Fund @thekingsfund.bsky.social · 7d
The NHS 10 Year Health Plan will only succeed with strong management and leadership.

Our new long read with @unibirmingham.bsky.social explores why management matters, and what needs to change to help leaders deliver better care.

Read more: bit.ly/437AuPW
Why Management Matters To The NHS 10 Year Health Plan | The Kings Fund
Professor Judith Smith, Suzie Bailey and Professor Sir Chris Ham explore why strong, well-trained NHS management is essential to delivering the ambitions of the 10 Year Health Plan.
bit.ly

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Sep 23
Tuesday in glorious Warwickshire

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Aug 24
Way out west

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jul 28
Potato harvest in Pembrokeshire today

Reposted by Chris Ham

profjudithsmith.bsky.social
Professor Judith Smith @profjudithsmith.bsky.social · Jul 27
DHSC has now published its proposals to regulate (or rather bar) #NHS managers. In this @bmj.com paper, @suziebailey.bsky.social @chrisham.bsky.social & I argue that regulation needs to be accompanied by wider changes to professionalise, train & support leaders:

www.bmj.com/content/389/...
NHS management reform: regulation is just the beginning
Regulation of managers now seems inevitable, but must be accompanied by wider changes focused on professionalising and supporting NHS leaders Calls to regulate NHS managers have been made for over 25...
www.bmj.com

Reposted by Chris Ham

jamestplunkett.bsky.social
James Plunkett @jamestplunkett.bsky.social · Nov 22
I've been thinking about this a lot recently: how do we build institutions that bring out the best in people? Is that one way to think about the role of government?

The quote is from a recent post exploring evidence and scaling in policy-making. medium.com/@jamestplunk... )
Some text that reads as follows: "The Nobel laureate, Elinor Ostrom, has a useful way of thinking about institutions as rule-based games that get repeated. We move through life in instutions, each trying our best (within constraints like bounded rationality) before repeating, and trying to get better. Ostrom spent decades working to understand institutions, so that we can improve them. Her guiding vision — which feels to me more resonant with every passing day — was that the ultimate goal of government, and of public policy, should be to build institutions ‘that bring out the best in people’."

Reposted by Chris Ham

richardhumphries.bsky.social
Richard Humphries @richardhumphries.bsky.social · Dec 15
“There is more than one way of achieving results” - some really good points here by @chrisham.bsky.social
NHS targets reveal the limits of pressure from the top
Lessons from the Blair era show that focusing on one outcome can distort the rest of the healthcare system
on.ft.com

Reposted by Chris Ham

richardhumphries.bsky.social
Richard Humphries @richardhumphries.bsky.social · Jan 9
When this trust declares a critical incident you know things are really bad www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Critical incident declared at South Warwickshire hospitals
Warwick's emergency department has experienced
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Chris Ham

benzaranko.bsky.social
Ben Zaranko @benzaranko.bsky.social · Feb 6
NHS England productivity update

The good: according to NHS estimates, hospital productivity is growing by 2.4% year-on-year

The bad: productivity is still 8% below pre-pandemic levels

The remarkable: spending on agency staff has fallen by 36% year-on-year

www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/nh...
NHS England » NHS productivity update
Agenda item: 5 (Public session) Report by: Julian Kelly, Chief Financial Officer / Deputy Chief Executive Officer Paper type: For information
www.england.nhs.uk

Reposted by Chris Ham

helenhassell.bsky.social
Helen Hassell @helenhassell.bsky.social · Feb 19
I believe personalised care is far from business as usual and should be a key component of the 10 year plan. Working with people and communities and the VCSE where the solutions are, is the only way the NHS should be working but there needs to be resources available

Reposted by Chris Ham

alfcollins.bsky.social
Alf Collins @alfcollins.bsky.social · Feb 22
Interesting…Builds on the work re: ‘patient activation’. We can support people on a journey of activation thru self management programmes, health coaching, peer support, social prescribing- all low cost interventions. These ways of working need to be built into pathways rather than offered ad hoc.

Reposted by Chris Ham

richardhumphries.bsky.social
Richard Humphries @richardhumphries.bsky.social · Mar 26
Actually Knight Frank there is not a ’critical’ need for more care home beds but for more support in people’s own homes & communities.
Just 86 extra UK care home beds created in 2024, data shows
Declining availability highlights challenges for care home sector
on.ft.com

Reposted by Chris Ham

washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · May 16
The Department of Homeland Security is vetting a pitch for a reality television show in which immigrants would compete against one another for U.S. citizenship.
DHS considering reality show in which immigrants compete for citizenship
The competition series was pitched by Rob Worsoff, a Canadian-born writer and producer who was behind A&E’s “Duck Dynasty” and Bravo’s “Millionaire Matchmaker.”
wapo.st

Reposted by Chris Ham

alfcollins.bsky.social
Alf Collins @alfcollins.bsky.social · May 22
Great blog. Isn’t good commissioning primarily good leadership, Chris?

Reposted by Chris Ham

bmj.com
The BMJ @bmj.com · Jun 16
The NHS must reduce demand for healthcare with spending increases nearing their limits, writes @chrisham.bsky.social
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

Reposted by David D. Buck

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 30
Lessons from NHS reforms that this week's 10 year plan should incorporate

www.nhsconfed.org/articles/wha...
What can we learn about implementation from previous NHS reforms?
To deliver the ten-year health plan successfully we must learn the lessons from past reforms.
www.nhsconfed.org

Reposted by Chris Ham

profjudithsmith.bsky.social
Professor Judith Smith @profjudithsmith.bsky.social · Jun 23
Newly published @bmj.com paper from @suziebailey.bsky.social @chrisham.bsky.social & me, arguing that it’s time to regulate NHS management, but this will not suffice. Significant investment in training, development & support, & wider professionalisation, are needed. #healthpolicy #healthmanagement
NHS management reform: regulation is just the beginning
Regulation of managers now seems inevitable, but must be accompanied by wider changes focused on professionalising and supporting NHS leaders Calls to regulate NHS managers have been made for over 25...
www.bmj.com

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 23
regulation of NHS managers and why less central direction, a culture focused on patients and not bullying, and a commitment to increased professionalism enabled by training and a code of conduct are needed @profjudithsmith.bsky.social www.bmj.com/content/389/...
www.bmj.com

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 18
Does this prefigure parts of the 10 year NHS plan? ippr-org.files.svdcdn.com/production/D...
ippr-org.files.svdcdn.com

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 17
its time to take prevention seriously and fully engage people in keeping healthy and using services wisely - this must be at the heart of the 10 year NHS plan. The road for increasing spending on a sickness service is running out
bmj.com The BMJ @bmj.com · Jun 16
The NHS must reduce demand for healthcare with spending increases nearing their limits, writes @chrisham.bsky.social
www.bmj.com/content/389/...

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 15
Summer flowers Warwickshire

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 11
Wednesday bike ride in Warwickshire

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 5
Hope this can be sustained as ICBs restructure and cut management costs Sam

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · Jun 4
In this fine city today to speak at conference on engaging patients in improving health and care and role of health coaches

Reposted by Chris Ham

joshtpm.bsky.social
Josh Marshall @joshtpm.bsky.social · May 24
Bob Dylan turns 84 today.

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · May 23
Cycling in Girona this week

chrisham.bsky.social
Chris Ham @chrisham.bsky.social · May 22
In part but there’s a skill set and mind set that are also important. NHS leaders and ministers too often default to hierarchy and overlook relationships, trust and the ‘soft’ stuff
alfcollins.bsky.social Alf Collins @alfcollins.bsky.social · May 22
Great blog. Isn’t good commissioning primarily good leadership, Chris?

Reposted by Chris Ham

nhsconfed.org
NHS Confederation @nhsconfed.org · May 22
Another insightful blog, Chris. Thanks for your contribution to NHS Voices.