COVID-19: breaking the cycle of deprivation and ill health
Promoting whole-system action on the wider determinants of healthy life expectancy in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic
Making sense of evidence
It's time to celebrate World Evidence-Based Healthcare (EBHC) Day. In a world dominated by COVID-19 and the associated infodemic, this day arguably has more resonance. Closer to home, EBHC Day also coincides with our Insight 2020 festival and the launch of the Midlands Decision Support network. What better opportunity to ask, 'what does evidence-informed decision making actually mean'?
Socio-economic and environmental impact of Herefordshire and Worcestershire STP
Anchor institutions are large, typically non-profit, public sector organisations whose long-term sustaina
How can Integrated Care Systems collect and use more ‘person-centred intelligence’?
Working with our partners
Outcomes based commissioning: A framework for local decision making
This local decision-making framework aims to empower systems as they look to design new contracting approaches aimed at improving outcomes.
Opening the ‘black box’ of scenario planning through realist synthesis
Scenario planning is recognised as an effective aid to strategic planning in complex, uncertain conditions. It is an approach that the Strategy Unit is increasingly building into its work with health and care systems and third sector organisations.
Measuring what matters in systems – A call for person-centred intelligence
The Strategy Unit and Ipsos MORI launch guide to implementing Person-Centred Intelligence.
Lessons, Evaluation and Learning from the Dudley MCP
Learning from Dudley MCP
Clinical Workforce Scenarios for the Black Country
The future is highly uncertain.
New care models - what's the evidence
High level findings from a series of evidence reviews on new care models.
Let’s face the music and (not) dance
David Frith leads our strategy consultancy work with NHS and third sector organisations.
Tools & templates: Problem structuring
Problem trees and driver diagrams can help you to understand the causes and effects of your problem.
The Potential Economic Impact of Virtual Outpatient Appointments in the West Midlands: A scoping study
The Strategy Unit was recently approached to examine the case for a shift from traditional outpatient services to the use of virtual a
Pre-mortem
The pre-mortem technique was developed by Klein (2007) using ‘prospective hindsight’ to identify risks at the outset of a project.
Tools & templates: Other points of view
Use Edward deBono’s ‘Six Thinking Hats’ or consider a wider point of view, to approach a problem or potential solution from different perspectives.
Lessons from the Vanguard: Procurement
Tools & templates: Breaking the rules
Generate new ideas to solve a problem – by identifying the underlying assumptions, unwritten rules and thinking that maintain the status quo.
Integrating health and care services - what works? It’s complicated…
Coinciding nicely with the NHS 70th Birthday celebrations and the parallel discussions of ‘where next and how to do it better’ for the NHS, last we
Tools & Templates: Five Whys
Keep asking ‘why’ to peel back the layers of your problem, until you identify a potential root cause.
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.