The NHS Five Year Forward View: how to model “radical new care delivery options”
There are three ways to model service changes in Gooroo Planner: simplistic, simple, and comprehensive. We look at the pros and cons of each method.
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New targets could lead to longer waits in mental health
It is good news that waiting times are being reduced for mental health. But the proposed targets for IAPT services could mean that some people wait even longer.
England’s summer waiting list initiative fails
The English NHS pulled out the stops in August with a major effort to clear the long-wait backlog. But it didn't work. The long waits position got significantly worse right across the board.
Hitting a wall of fines: how the perverse targets pack a bigger punch
The penalty for treating a long waiting patient is four times bigger than the penalty for letting them wait. But that isn't the end of the story: because of the target tolerances and how waiting times dynamics work, the perverse incentives are massively bigger than that.
Capacity planning: feed-the-beast, or vital management information?
The annual planning round is a bit stale. By transforming planning into a continuous and live management process, we can make sure it changes real life for the better. In a speech to the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts, I explained how this also creates an important new operational-facing role for analysts.
What’s really happening to NHS waits – an introduction
NHS waits are on the rise - but understanding why is a little more tricky. Here's a handy guide. (First published at openDemocracy)
Perverse waiting list management, despite the promises
The health secretary has committed to ending perverse waiting list management. Yet it continues, fuelled by perverse incentives.
Spot the waiting list initiative: lost without trace in July’s RTT data
The English national waiting list initiative should have got well underway in July. But it didn't: waiting times got worse.
Waiting times worsen again in Scotland
Scotland's outpatient waiting list is building up quite a backlog. The longer it's left, the harder it will be to fix.
Protecting urgent patients
Protecting urgent patients is easy if you are willing to waste some capacity. But with a little extra care, you can protect urgents and be efficient at the same time.