How data makes things worse

All light brings shade. My list of ‘changes that have been all upside and no downside’ is short and debatable.

Diagnosing harms?

All medicines are poisons. Everything that cures could kill if administered in the wrong doses, to the wrong people, at the wrong times, in the wrong ways.

Decision Making Blog #8: Infinity-shaped debate

I’m argumentative.

Decision Making Blog #7: Should we 'go with the gut'? Yes, but...

I’m not sure there’s a superlative strong enough to describe ‘T

Decision Making Blog #6: The most powerful question in decision making?

I’m a fan of Shane Parrish and his organisation Farnam Street (strapline: ‘Helping you master the best of

Decision Making Blog #5: Reaching disagreement

Two starting points:  

Decision Making Blog #4: Embrace uncertainty - it's a badge of honour

Imagine this: 

Decision Making Blog #3: The black hole of the status quo

Learning is one of the joys of teaching. And I’ve learnt a lot while helping people develop their decision making skills.

Decision Making Blog #2: Two under-appreciated sources of leadership power

Some forms of leaders’ power are obvious. Leaders hire and they fire.

Decision Making Blog #1: Better decision making: a neglected route to improvement?

There are two main routes for health and care services to improve the health of the populations they serve. The

Decision making - a series of blogs on decision quality

Analysts, we need to talk about…….

The future looks incredibly promising for ana

Insight 2022 - Day 4 - The future of healthcare analytics

The future of healthcare analytics.

Infant-feeding problems during the pandemic

Emergency department attendances fell dramatically and systematically during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. This effect was almost universal, affecting people from all parts of society and for all health conditions. But in our recent paper we highlight one notable exception to this rule -presentations at Emergency Departments for infant-feeding problems increased during the pandemic.

What was the question again?

We hear a lot about what’s stopping the NHS making the most of its army of talented analysts. Some say we just need more data, or data of better quality. Others point to deficiencies in our infrastructure, IT kit or the software we use. But I’m not so sure. For me the biggest shortfall is in good questions that we can feasibly address.

Inequalities in access to healthcare - what’s our next move?

Our research, published in the Lancet Regional Health Europe, highlights substantial inequities in access to elective hip replacement surgery. We found no evidence that these inequities reduced between 2006 and 2016.

Blog: Strategies to reduce inequalities in planned care

MDSN responds to recent reports addressing the NHS waiting list crisis

Strategies to reduce inequalities in access to planned hospital procedures

UPDATE 10th August: Now including briefing note for Integrated Care Boards on legal duties in respect of reducing inequalities. This report guides ICBs through the process.

We saw them before they were famous: reflections on AphA’s away day

In June 1976, the Sex Pistols played Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall.