Commissioning health

Background

The pursuit of efficiency in health services has been a high policy priority for successive governments and is of concern worldwide. It is a central concern of the PCT commissioning function. 

As the NHS faces up to the economic crisis and its impact on the public sector, it is important to know how the service is currently using resources. The Health Foundation is therefore funding a programme of research into value for money in the NHS, including economic analysis of healthcare budgeting. 

This report

This report, based on preliminary research which brings together a range of economic analysis methods, compares the efficiency of the English PCTs in producing a valued output; the health of their populations, in relation to the costs expended, as measured through programme budgeting data.

The key message for policy makers is that all PCTS are performing at a similar level and there would need to be considerable action at system level to achieve significant change in the efficiency of PCTs.

Who should read this report

This report provides a useful initial analysis for policy-makers, regulators, performance managers and health economists of the comparative efficiency of how PCTs are allocating their budgets,  in the wider context of gaining greater understanding of the theory and practice of achieving value for money in healthcare.

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