The NHS Explained: How the Health System in England Really Works
Get a detailed understanding of the NHS - its inner workings, current and future challenges, and how it all fits together.
- Duration4 weeks
- Weekly study2 hours
- LearnFree
The NHS Explained: How the Health System in England Really Works
Learn how healthcare is delivered in the NHS
The National Health Service (NHS) is a source of British national pride placed above the BBC, the British Olympic team, and the Royal Family. It affects the lives of millions of people.
But have you ever wondered how many people it takes to keep a nation healthy? Or how much money it costs to run the NHS? Or why hospital waiting times are always in the headlines?
This course will help you understand what keeps the fifth largest employer in the world running. You’ll explore the challenges facing the system, and how to ensure the NHS is fit for the future.
What topics will you cover?
- How the NHS in England is structured
- How different services work together to deliver health care in the NHS
- How funding flows through the system
- How well the NHS is doing
- How performance is measured in the NHS
- Future challenges facing the NHS and how the system is changing in response to this
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and learn at your own pace. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Demonstrate a wide understanding of how the constituent parts of the NHS in England work together to deliver health and care services
- Summarise the various ways in which the NHS measures how well it is performing
- Discuss the future challenges facing the NHS and the way in which the system is adapting to meet these challenges
- Explore the resources required needed to keep the nation healthy
Who is the course for?
This course is for anyone interested in the NHS in England and how it works. This includes NHS and social care staff in England (working in both clinical and non-clinical roles), students considering a career in the NHS, and patients and the public.
Who will you learn with?
I'm a librarian at The King's Fund and alongside managing the library and public enquiry service, I also lead on our service that helps to keep people up to date on health policy in England.
I'm a digital content producer at The King's Fund. I work on our digital content and online presence, including our social media channels and videos.
Researcher in the King's Fund policy team
Who developed the course?
The King's Fund
The King’s Fund is an independent charity working to improve health and care in England. Its vision is that the best possible health and care is available to all.
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