A new tool to help systems to deliver the left shift
Our new tool to help systems explore opportunities to reduce hospital care.
Neighbourhoods and hospital activity: oh yes it can, oh no it can’t?
Simple, intuitive ideas don’t draw critical attention. They stroll about the policy world, untested and unscathed.
Improving the experience of waiting: the evidence behind new NHS minimum standards
New NHS patient experience minimum standards aim to improve how people experience waiting for elective care
Waiting List Conference 2026: From Backlog to Breakthrough
Reducing elective care waiting lists remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS.
Exploring cultural adaptations in dementia care: our work with the NHS Race and Health Observatory
Understanding what it takes to deliver culturally responsive dementia care.
Improving perioperative flow: using simulation to understand elective care pathways
Why are operations still being cancelled on the day of surgery, despite long waiting lists and high demand? The answer often lies not in a single point of failure, but in how the perioperative pathway functions as a whole.
The impact of failure demand on the ambulance service
Failure demand is described as the additional work created when services fail to meet people’s needs effectively the first time – and
Complex problems and Multi-Disciplinary Teams
Many moons ago, I was fortunate enough to observe a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) in Dudley.
Failure demand isn’t new. So why does it feel like a revelation?
Guest blog by Jacob Lant, Chief Executive, National Voices
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?