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Our work

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  • Strategy Unit
  • Zaheera Teladia
carer holding had with elderly person in wheelchair
Blog post 24/09/2025

A missing element in ‘shifting care’

Our Director, Peter Spilsbury, outlines the scale of the task when it comes to making ‘the shift from hospital to community’.

Report 13/12/2024

‘To risk stratify or not risk stratify, that is the question’ (At least, it should be)

Risk stratification tools are ubiquitous in healthcare. The concept is simple and seductive.

ICS intelligence functions graph
Report 21/03/2023

ICS intelligence functions – a toolkit to support the implementation of NHSE guidance

In 2020, NHSE

graphic showing inequality being erased with eraser
Report 04/11/2022

What are the ethical challenges in addressing inequities?

Produced by Angie Hobbs - the world’s first Professor in the Public Understanding of Philosophy – this paper examines the ethical questions raised by our report outlining strategies for reducing inequity.

Blog post 08/06/2022

‘Might’ is right

A good idea can be ruined by over-selling.

Report 09/05/2022

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.

News 28/04/2022

Appointing an ICS ‘Chief Analyst’

The Strategy Unit has, over the last ten years, developed a way of working that has allowed us to become recognised as a leading analytical organisation in the NHS.

Blog post 11/03/2022

Treating people on waiting lists: who decides what is fair?

Waiting lists for elective care are in the news. The national plan has been issued, with the expectation that lists will continue to rise for some years - and that long waiting will not disappear anytime soon. Addressing this ‘backlog’ will remain a fundamental challenge for some time to come.

Report 28/10/2021

Advancing the analytical capability of the NHS and its ICS partners

The Strategy Unit were asked by the Strategy and Development Team in the Directorate of the Chief Data and Analytics Officer, NHSE/I, to make recommendations for advancing analytical capability across the health and care workforce.

Report 15/10/2021

Strategy Unit devises a new method for classifying outpatient appointments

The number of outpatient attendances in England is now approaching 100 million each year.

Blog post 28/01/2021

Strategy Unit analysis published showing changes in use of emergency departments under lockdown

We know that patterns of access to healthcare have changed during the pandemic.

Blog post 04/12/2020

A learning NHS and ‘black box’ analysis aren’t compatible

Data analysis presents a limitless opportunity to improve decision making within the NHS.

Report 14/10/2020

Health service use in the last two years of life

Health and care services get just one opportunity to support people at the end of their life. When this support is compassionate and appropriate, unnecessary suffering can be avoided and grieving can be eased. When this is not the case, harm and distress can result. The difference in these experiences can be profound.

Report 05/07/2018

Making the case for integrating physical and mental health services in England - National overview

This is a national overview report of our Making the case for integrating physical and mental health services reporting which took place in July 20

Blog post 04/07/2018

Mental Health and integration: Cinderella or the Ugly Sisters?

Introduction

Blog post 01/06/2018

Do you like to integrate horizontally or vertically? NHS positions examined

Our latest research paper explores the impact of the different options for integration implemented as a result of the Transforming Community Services policy in 2010. This accompanying commentary reflects on potential implications for the current policy drive towards Integrated Care Systems.

Report 01/06/2018

Horizontal or Vertical: Which way to integrate?

In 2011, Primary Care Trusts faced a difficult choice. The Transforming Community Services policy required a complete break of commissioner and provider functions. But what should PCTs do with the community health services they delivered; vertically integrate with an acute trust, horizontally integrate with a mental health trust, or set up a stand-alone community trust or Community Interest Company? Seven years on, this report explores the impact this choice had on the level and growth in emergency hospital use in older people and considers the wider implications for the NHS as it develops new models of care and integrated care systems

Report 12/05/2017

Making the Case for Integrating Mental and Physical Health Care - Full Report.

An analysis of the physical health of people who use mental health services: life expectancy, acute service use and the potential for

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