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Health and Social Care

What can carers’ organisations offer the current debate on social care reform?

The policy briefing argues that unpaid carers and their organisations must be central to social care reform. Drawing on the history of the carers’ movement, it shows how carers’ organisations have raised awareness, influenced policy and developed practical solutions in the UK and internationally.…Read more

Can Westminster learn from Jersey’s Assisted Dying Law?
by Graham Box and Kenneth Chambaere  |  7th July 2026

Graham Box and Kenneth Chambaere, authors of 'Assisted Dying', argue that while reintroducing the previous assisted dying bill may be politically practical, Westminster should instead learn from Jersey’s more consultative and flexible model to create safer, more widely supported legislation.…Read more

Scotland’s welfare system and LGBTQ+ rights: Is social security really progressive for all?
by Lee Gregory, Eleanor Formby and Peter Matthews  |  23rd June 2026

Lee Gregory, Eleanor Formby and Peter Matthews discuss how Scotland's rights-based social security system has improved the experiences of many LGBTQ+ claimants, while persistent discrimination and weakening political support continue to undermine genuine equality.…Read more

POLICY BRIEFING: How can we shift focus from repeat food bank use to a more-than-food approach?
by and Charles Walker, Richard Machin and Eva Zemandl  |  18th June 2026

The policy briefing highlights that, amid widespread UK food insecurity, food banks provide varied short-term support but lasting solutions require stronger social safety nets and measures that address the root causes of poverty.…Read more

Britain’s health is declining – but it doesn’t have to be this way
by Katherine Smith, Clare Bambra and Julia Lynch  |  26th May 2026

Clare Bambra, Julia Lynch and Katherine Smith, authors of 'Getting Better', argue that declining healthy life expectancy and widening health inequalities in the UK are the result of political and economic choices, such as austerity, weak regulation and inequality, meaning they can be reversed through sustained policy action on welfare, public services and social conditions if there is political will.…Read more

After lockdown streaming, disabled audiences were shut out again

Magda Romanska, author of 'Digital Access to the Performing Arts', highlights how the pandemic proved that digital theatre could dramatically expand access for disabled and marginalised audiences, but most institutions abandoned streaming after reopening, revealing persistent inequalities in cultural access.…Read more

What is it for? Asking big questions about society and its institutions

George Miller discusses the What Is It For? book series, inspired by Gauguin’s existential questions, arguing that in an age of global “polycrisis,” critically examining the purpose of institutions can help us imagine better alternatives, even if it cannot solve problems outright.…Read more

Our top 10 most listened to podcast episodes in 2025
by Bristol University Press and Policy Press  |  22nd December 2025

This year on the Transforming Society podcast, we’ve highlighted the stories behind research that tackles society’s biggest challenges and sparks meaningful change.…Read more

Janine Ewen shows how her mother’s disability and terminal cancer, stemming from a decade of domestic abuse, reveal the lifelong health consequences of such violence and the urgent need for sustained, accessible support for survivors.…Read more

It’s time to talk about digital therapy
by Elizabeth Cotton  |  4th November 2025

Elizabeth Cotton, author of UberTherapy, explores how the rise of digital therapy platforms has triggered a regulatory reckoning, as governments, professionals, and consumers struggle to ensure safety, accountability, and fairness within an AI-driven mental health marketplace.…Read more