
The report looks at trends in NHS productivity in three areas – generic prescribing, length of stay and day case surgery – in which the NHS has made significant and sustained gains in productivity over a number of years, allowing more (and often better) care to be delivered within the same budget. It then outlines a number of areas where the NHS has opportunities to improve value in the future, focusing in particular on changes in clinical practice.
The opportunities identified are:
- tackling inappropriate care – overuse, underuse and misuse
- identifying and removing unwarranted variations in clinical practice
- using evidence of to find better ways of delivering care and support services for specific patient groups – such as people with long-term conditions, older people living with frailty and complex needs and people at the end of their lives.
With the NHS facing a huge financial challenge over the next few years, the report argues that action is needed at all levels of the system focused on improving value for every pound spent in the NHS.
Sources and more information
- Better value in the NHS – The King’s Fund report summary release or PDF (16 pages), and the full report PDF (155 pages), 7 July 2015.
- One in seven treatments not necessary, warns NHS chief, telegraph, 11 Jul 2015.
Interesting!
cheers Gerrit