Reflecting back - 10 years of the Future Hospital Programme.

A decade ago, The Future Hospital Programme was created following the publication of the Future Hospital Commission (FHC), to demonstrate how Future Hospital (FH) principles could be implemented and embedded within the NHS. Ten years on, we reflect back on each of the development sites and the programme itself. What were the successes and what are the current challenges? Indeed, in the current NHS, is it feasible to deliver in 'real world environments' the FH principles and make sure that patient care is safe and effective? The last decade has seen financial constraints and inevitable (albeit often short-term) changes to manage the COVID pandemic.

Making ripples: patient involvement in service planning.

Patient involvement in shaping the face of modern medicine is increasing. Patient representatives - local and from the Patient and Carer Network - are now an integral part of shaping the work of the Future Hospital Programme through their direct involvement in the development sites. The path to a successful partnership between clinicians, managers and representatives is not easy but is worthwhile as illustrated in two stories from the Royal College of Physicians' phase 1 development sites in north Wales and Wakefield.

Junior doctors' understanding of alcohol units remains poor.

A survey of 586 trainee doctors in Yorkshire was undertaken to ascertain current junior doctors' knowledge and understanding of alcohol units. Approximately 18% of trainees had no knowledge of alcohol units despite the fact that 82% believed they had a good knowledge. Once again, those who did not drink alcohol knew less about alcohol units than those who did.