This is a survey of health care needs for specific conditions, published on behalf of the Department of Health. This study considers questions such as the population's needs, the services available or unavailable to them, the effectiveness of these services, and other perspectives in disease and service areas. This is the second series of needs assessment reviews.

Providing vital updates, this two volume set describes the central role and aim of health care needs assessment in the NHS health care reforms, and explains the 'epidemiological approach' to needs assessment, and the effectiveness and availability of services.

This volume, focusing on breast cancer, is part of a survey of health care needs for specific conditions, published on behalf of the Department of Health. This study overall considers questions such as the population's needs, the services available or unavailable to them, the effectiveness of these services, and other perspectives in disease and service areas. This is the second series of needs assessment reviews.

This volume, focusing on low back pain, is part of a survey of health care needs for specific conditions, published on behalf of the Department of Health. This study overall considers questions such as the population's needs, the services available or unavailable to them, the effectiveness of these services, and other perspectives in disease and service areas. This is the second series of needs assessment reviews.

This volume, focusing on palliative and terminal care, is part of a survey of health care needs for specific conditions, published on behalf of the Department of Health. This study overall considers questions such as the population's needs, the services available or unavailable to them, the effectiveness of these services, and other perspectives in disease and service areas. This is the second series of needs assessment reviews.

This issue discusses the concerns of skin disease in the United States and the national clinical dermatology research priorities – the article topics also closely follow the plan set out by the recent dermatology needs assessment of the UK. Articles include Health Care Disparities, The Burden of Skin Disease in the United States, as well as specific conditions such as psoriasis, acne, and melanoma. There is also an article devoted to dermatologic surgery needs assessment.

Commissioning is now a key task for health and social care - and yet policy aspirations often outstrip the infrastructure needed to support commissioners as they take difficult decisions about future services and to make commissioning a career of choice for future leaders. While commissioning was important under New Labour, it seems set to be even more fundamental now as commissioners think about future services in an era of austerity. Against this background, this is the first comprehensive text on a key area of management practice , exploring what commissioning is, where it has come from and where it might be taking us. With a wide range of leading contributors from fields including health care, social care, local government , the book takes students, practitioners and managers through key stages of the commissioning cycle as well as addressing cross-cutting themes such as the economics of commissioning, user involvement and commissioning in an era of personalisation. It is essential reading for everyone involved in the planning and delivery of health and social care - for social policy students, health and social care practitioners, managers and policy makers alike.

Providing vital updates, this two volume set describes the central role and aim of health care needs assessment in the NHS health care reforms, and explains the 'epidemiological approach' to needs assessment, and the effectiveness and availability of services.