Health studies

The health national studies programme aims to improve local public services through its independent authoritative analysis of national evidence and local practice. Its remit covers NHS financial management issues, however is also able to review value for money for social care and public health topics due to the overlap with local government.

The team consults with NHS bodies, government departments, other regulatory bodies, national representative associations and professional bodies to obtain feedback on the usefulness and appropriateness of the studies programme to ensure its robustness and value.

A full A-Z list of health studies and studies for other sectors are also available

NHS quality accounts 2010/11
Providing external assurance: Findings from auditors' work at NHS trusts and foundation trusts

5 January 2012

The Commission has published a briefing summarising the findings from its appointed auditors' reviews of quality accounts at 91 NHS acute and mental health trusts.

Improving coding, costing and commissioning
Annual report on the PbR data assurance programme 2010/11

22 September 2011

The Commission has published 'Improving coding, costing and commissioning: Annual report on the Payment by Results (PbR) data assurance programme 2010/11.

NHS Financial Year 2010/11
A summary of auditors' work

11 August 2011

The recently launched 'NHS Financial Year 2010/11: A summary of auditors' work' provides a view of the overall financial performance of the NHS in 2010/11

Costing care pathways: Understanding the cost of the diabetes care pathway
A health briefing

16 May 2011

This briefing finds that care pathways are altered, and commissioning decisions made, with the intention of benefitting patients, but often without fully understanding the cost implications.

More for less 2009/10
Are efficiency and productivity improving in the NHS?

21 April 2011

The latest More for Less analytic update looks at tariff income. It confirms the level of growth identified in More for Less 2009/10 wasn't the result of a disproportionate rise in activity or costs.

Reducing expenditure on low clinical value treatments
A health briefing

14 April 2011

This health briefing suggests that the NHS could save up to £500 million a year by carrying out fewer ineffective or inefficient treatments.

Producing quality reports
A health briefing

10 March 2011

This briefing summarises the findings from the Audit Commission's Audit Practice reviews of quality reports at 52 (out of 115) foundation trusts in summer 2010.

Audit Commission and Monitor guide: Delivering sustainable cost improvement programmes

19 January 2012

The Audit Commission and Monitor have jointly published a guide called ‘Delivering sustainable cost improvement programmes’ aimed at acute, ambulance, mental health and specialist NHS trusts and ...

Managing sickness absence in the NHS
A health briefing

10 February 2011

This briefing examines the local variation and cost of sickness absence to primary care trusts, NHS trusts and foundation trusts. It sets out where organisations can find more help and advice in ...

Paying GPs to improve quality
Auditing payments under the Quality and Outcomes Framework

3 February 2011

This briefing examines how well primary care trusts oversee the Quality and Outcomes Framework, which incentivises GPs to improve their services to patients.

Financial management of personal budgets

Financial management of personal budgets, 28 October 2010
Challenges and opportunities for councils

Financial management reports

Making the most of frontline staff in the NHS, 25 June 2010
Maximising resources in adult mental health, 23 June 2010
A review of collaborative procurement across the public sector, 21 May 2010

All 3 documents in 'Financial management reports'

Auditors' Local Evaluation and Use of Resources 2009/10, 14 October 2010
Summary results for NHS trusts and primary care trusts
Healthy balance: a review of public health performance and spending, 11 March 2010
More for less 2008/09, 12 November 2009
Are productivity and efficiency improving in the NHS?
Means to an end, 29 October 2009
Joint financing across health and social care
Auditors' Local Evaluation and Use of Resources 2008/09, 1 October 2009
Summary results for NHS trusts and primary care trusts
Protecting the public purse 2009, 15 September 2009
Local government fighting fraud
Taking it on trust, 29 April 2009
A review of how boards of NHS trusts and foundation trusts get their assurance
Figures you can trust, 9 April 2009
Briefing on data quality in the NHS
Financial management in the NHS 2007/08, 16 December 2008
Report on the NHS summarised accounts 2007/08
Auditors' Local Evaluation 2007/08, 2 October 2008
Summary results for NHS trusts and primary care trusts
Is the treatment working?, 12 June 2008
Progress with the NHS system reform programme
Improving medium-term financial planning, 19 March 2008
A practical guide for primary care trusts
The right result? , 14 February 2008
Payment by results 2003-07
A prescription for partnership, 3 December 2007
Engaging clinicians in financial management
Putting commissioning into practice, 22 November 2007
Implementing practice based commissioning through good financial management
Review of the NHS financial year 2006/07, 23 October 2007
Auditors' local evaluation (ALE) 2005/06, 12 October 2006
Summary results
Audit Commission review of the NHS financial management and accounting regime, 26 July 2006
A report to the Secretary of State for Health
Learning the lessons from financial failure in the NHS, 11 July 2006
Managing finances in mental health, 13 June 2006
A review to support improvement and best practice

All 33 national studies in 'Financial management reports'

Health data briefings

Reducing emergency admissions - December 2008, 4 December 2008
Short stay emergency admissions - September 2008, 30 September 2008
Spending on disease: diabetes - September 2008, 30 September 2008
Reference costs and allocations - March 2008, 31 March 2008
Primary care spending - January 2008, 31 January 2008
Trust financial out-turns - January 2008, 31 January 2008
Reference costs - October 2007, 31 October 2007
Drug treatment services - October 2007, 31 October 2007
Avoidable admissions - September 2007, 30 September 2007
Mental health services - September 2007, 30 September 2007
Inpatient profitability - July 2007, 31 July 2007
Spending on disease - July 2007, 31 July 2007
Specific diagnosis - July 2007, 31 July 2007

All 13 articles in 'Health data briefings'

Mental health reports

Efficiency in mental health services, 3 February 2011
Supporting improvements in the acute care pathway
Managing finances in mental health, 13 June 2006
A review to support improvement and best practice
Losing time, 20 June 2002
Developing mental health services for older people in Wales
Forget me not 2002, 21 February 2002
Developing mental health services for older people in England
Forget me not, 19 January 2000
Developing mental health services for older people in England
Children in mind, 23 September 1999
Child and adolescent mental health services

All 6 national studies in 'Mental health reports'

Other health reports

Oneplace national overview report, 24 February 2010

Nothing but the truth?, 5 November 2009
A discussion paper
Is the treatment working?, 12 June 2008
Progress with the NHS system reform programme
Information and data quality in the NHS, 30 March 2004
Key messages from three years of independent review
Acute hospital portfolio reviews 2003, 19 June 2003
Operating theatres, 19 June 2003
Review of national findings
Outpatients, 19 June 2003
Review of national findings
Bed management, 19 June 2003
Review of national findings
Waiting for elective admission, 19 June 2003
Review of national findings
Achieving the NHS plan, 5 June 2003
Assessment of current performance, likely future progress and capacity to improve
Waiting list accuracy, 5 March 2003
Assessing the accuracy of waiting list information in NHS hospitals in England
Access to care, 24 October 2002
Ear, nose and throat and audiology services
Medical staffing, 30 August 2002
Review of national findings
The performance of the NHS in England, 15 August 2002
Developing and independent commentary
Radiology, 8 August 2002
Review of national findings
Medicines management, 26 June 2002
Review of national findings
Operating theatres, 16 May 2002
A bulletin for health bodies
Procurement and supply, 8 May 2002
Review of national findings
NHS cancer care in England and Wales, 27 March 2002
Data remember, 15 March 2002
Improving the quality of patient-based information in the NHS
Changing habits, 27 February 2002
The commissioning and management of community drug treatment services for adults

All 33 national studies in 'Other health reports'

Payment by results reports

PbR data assurance framework 2007/08, 28 August 2008
Findings from the first year of the national clinical coding audit programme
The right result? , 14 February 2008
Payment by results 2003-07
Early lessons from payment by results, 11 October 2005
Payment by results update, 16 June 2005
Key issues and questions for trust and PCT boards to consider after the first year
Introducing payment by results, 27 July 2004
Getting the balance right for the NHS and taxpayers

All 5 national studies in 'Payment by results reports'

Primary care reports

Healthy balance: a review of public health performance and spending, 11 March 2010
Improving medium-term financial planning, 19 March 2008
A practical guide for primary care trusts
Putting commissioning into practice, 22 November 2007
Implementing practice based commissioning through good financial management
Early lessons in implementing practice based commissioning, 14 June 2006
Key areas to focus on for success and key questions for primary care trusts' boards to consider
Quicker treatment closer to home, 10 March 2004
Primary care trusts' success in redesigning care pathways
Transforming primary care, 10 March 2004
The role of primary care trusts in shaping and supporting general practice
Primary care prescribing, 27 March 2003
A bulletin for primary care trusts
Personal medical services, 30 January 2003
A bulletin for primary care trust chairs and chief executives
Dentistry, 19 September 2002
Primary dental care services in England and Wales
General practice in England, 9 July 2002
Testing times, 12 April 2000
A review of diabetes services in England and Wales
The PCG agenda, 3 February 2000
Early progress of primary care groups in 'The New NHS'

All 12 national studies in 'Primary care reports'

Public health reports

Healthy balance: a review of public health performance and spending, 11 March 2010
Are we choosing health?, 16 July 2008
The impact of policy on the delivery of health improvement programmes and services
Improving health and well-being, 4 July 2007
Tackling child obesity - first steps, 28 February 2006

All 4 national studies in 'Public health reports'

Social care reports

Living well in later life, 27 March 2006
A review of progress against the National Service Framework for Older People
Older people: Implementing telecare, 10 September 2004
Independence and well-being 6
Older people: Assistive technology, 12 February 2004
Independence and well-being 4
Older people: A changing approach, 12 February 2004
Independence and well-being 1
Older people: Building a strategic approach, 12 February 2004
Independence and well-being 2
Older people: Support for carers of older people, 12 February 2004
Independence and well-being 5
Older people: Supporting frail older people, 12 February 2004
Independence and well-being 3
Older people: Independence and well-being, 12 February 2004
The challenge for public services
Tracking the changes in social services in England, 16 October 2002
Joint review team sixth annual report 2001/02
Fully equipped 2002, 27 June 2002
Assisting independence
Losing time, 20 June 2002
Developing mental health services for older people in Wales
Forget me not 2002, 21 February 2002
Developing mental health services for older people in England
A healthy outlook, 1 November 2001
Local authority overview and scrutiny of health
Delivering results, 1 October 2001
Joint review team fifth annual report 2000/01
The way to go home, 21 June 2000
Rehabilitation and remedial services for older people
Fully equipped, 29 March 2000
The provision of equipment to older or disabled people by the NHS and social services in England and Wales
United they stand, 1 February 2000
Co-ordinating care for elderly patients with hip fracture
Forget me not, 19 January 2000
Developing mental health services for older people in England
Take your choice, 3 December 1997
A commissioning framework for community care
The coming of age, 31 October 1997
Improving care services for older people

All 20 national studies in 'Social care reports'

Audit Commission

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Health studies