Failure demand as a route to success?
When we began looking at failure demand in the NHS, I assumed most of our time would be spent in familiar territory: productivity metr
What Helps People Stay in NHS Talking Therapies? Insights from Services
How NHS Talking Therapies services are improving engagement through clearer expectations, flexible access and stronger support, and what further action could enhance recovery for more people.
Discharge before noon
Can data on discharge times help us to improve hospital flow?
Supporting the Mayor's partnership approach to reducing health inequalities in London
Being commissioned by the Mayor of London to produce independent reviews of proposals for major service change, affecting Londoners, perfectly aligns with our commitment to help the health and care system make better decisions and ultimately achieve benefits for population health and wellbeing.
Adopting the Core20PLUS5 approach: different strokes for different folks?
This blog describes the headline findings from the first phase of the national evaluation of the Core20PLUS5 approach
SU Insights
‘SU Insights’ is a series of events hosted by the Strategy Unit, exploring the latest analytical insights with leading experts.
Why NHS models should be built to be reused
Our Head of Simulation, Dr Lucy Morgan, recently appeared on the new podcast Inside the Algorithm, hosted by Cambridg
Neighbourhood health should not be judged (solely) by its ability to reduce hospital activity
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy arrived at NASA headquarters for a progress update on the planned trip to the moon.
Commissioners as conductors?
Traditional NHS commissioning alone is not enough, and must be complemented by a “conductor” role that actively coordinates partners and drives system-wide change. Together, commissioners provide strategic direction while conductors enable delivery, which is essential for improving outcomes in complex health systems.
Diagnosing the problems of non-diagnosis
Some descriptions of healthcare seem to be taken straight from the film Minority Report.
Big GP practices: light work or spoilt broth?
Larger GP practices may deliver more appointments, but are they the most efficient way to provide good care?
Discharged without a diagnosis
In 2023/24, one million people who were admitted to an NHS hospital in an emergency, were later discharged without a diagnosis. This long-read examines what this means for patients and providers.
Continuity in primary care: the safest bet we aren’t able to make?
In this long-read, which first appeared in the HSJ, Fraser Battye asks whether focusing on continuity might also improve access to primary care
What explains the recent growth in hospital activity?
In this long read, Fraser Battye describes our analysis of what has driven the growth in hospital activity.
A journey into intersectionality
A practical exploration of intersectionality, testing theory through quantitative analysis of hospital readmissions.
The enduring ‘messy programme’ with ‘mixed results’
The diagram below shows me at my most cynical.
Planning for rising renal demand: simulating capacity across the care system
Demand for kidney replacement therapy is rising, and current capacity will not be sufficient over the next decade. This work uses simulation modelling to help systems understand future pressures and test potential responses.
From Ethical AI to NHS Modelling: Insights from our data science internship
The Strategy Unit is proud to support early-career analysts that help widen access to data science and strengthen diversity in the fie
Death (and taxes?)
Hospices are fundamental to end of life care, and the broader shift ‘from hospital to community’.
Beating the backlog: Meeting the waiting list challenge
The NHS waiting list in England must halve to reach waiting time targets.