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Our work

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Blog post 06/05/2026

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

Cartoon graphic depicting four people standing on orange blocks at different heights
News 05/11/2025

Strengthening ethnicity data across the NHS: developing the national improvement plan

Our analysis and stakeholder engagement supported NHS England to develop the national Ethnicity Recording Improvement Plan.

Man sitting at desk with hands on table and female clinician completing form
Report 06/06/2025

Scoping a Health Needs Assessment for Adults on Probation in England

This scoping report explores the health inequalities experienced by people on probation and the limited data on their health needs and engagement with health services. It sets out recommendations for commissioning and delivering a national health needs assessment to address that data gap and support local health needs assessments for the probation population.

MDSN banner image
Event 01/06/2024

Midlands Analyst Network and Huddles

The Midlands Analyst Network was created to provide a space for analysts to share information, ideas and resources, as well as seek advice and guidance from one another.

Support elderly woman
Report 10/05/2024

MDSN: Community Healthcare Services

How Does Access to Community Health Services Vary Across the Midlands?

Two graphs showing Primary Medical Services and All NHS Services
Report 29/02/2024

MDSN: GP practice productivity, efficiency, and continuity of care

GP Practice productivity, efficiency, and continuity of care

Graph showing mean consultations per person by ICB
Report 29/02/2024

MDSN: The gap between need and supply of GP practice consultations

The gap between need and supply of GP practice consultations

Graph showing consultations per patient per year by year
Podcast 29/02/2024

MDSN: Long-term trends in GP practice Consultation Rates

GP practice consultations are, by some distance, the most common interaction between the NHS and the population it serves.

Summary of findings from the study
Report 18/10/2023

Menopause and the NHS workforce

The impact of the menopause on the NHS workforce. The Strategy Unit and Health Economics Unit report on their mixed methods findings.

Stock image of AI
12/10/2023

MDSN: AI tools for evidence synthesis

With the advancing sophistication of AI and automation-based tools, we explore their use for evidence synthesis.

River winding through grass and trees
11/10/2023

Rural Health Inequalities

The UK Government (2016) define rural areas as those which

shinto shrine gates
25/07/2023

Exploring MSK Patient Pathways – Produced by Healthier Futures, Black Country

Exploring MSK Patient Pathways Patient Experiences: Facilitators and Barriers. And The Way Forward Full ReportJune 2023 

Senior Patient Lady Signing Papers With Doctor In Hospital
Long read 10/05/2023

Inclusive Elective Care Recovery

These case studies present the key features and learning from local initiatives which championed inclusive approaches to elective care recovery.

Cropped Hospital Scanner
Report 03/05/2023

How is growth in diagnostic testing affecting the hospital system?

Diagnostic services, such as medical imaging, endoscopy, and pathology, have grown substantially in recent years and at a faster rate than most other healthcare services. Increased diagnostic testing brings benefits to patients, but rapid growth of this service area within a complex, adaptive system such as the NHS is likely to have had unintended consequences. Midlands ICBs wanted to understand the impact of diagnostic growth on hospital services.

woman in winter dress holding heart
Report 22/03/2023

The NHS as an anchor institution: addressing fuel poverty

The number of households in fuel poverty in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (SSoT) is higher than the national average. As anchor institutions, NHS organisations can use their assets to influence the health and wellbeing of their local communities. The Strategy Unit was asked by the Midlands NHS Greening Board to evaluate a cross-sector initiative in SSoT to help alleviate fuel poverty using savings generated through solar panels on NHS buildings. The project is called Keep Warm, Keep Well.

Population health implications of the Covid-19 pandemic graph
Report 16/01/2023

Population health implications of the Covid-19 pandemic

​​Our new report for The Midlands Decision Support Network (MDSN) presents findings of the effects of the care disruption, from the Covid-19 pandemic, on population health. The in-depth analysis identifies which patients and health conditions should be the focus of future efforts in reducing inequalities caused by the pandemic. ​

Evaluating Social Prescribing
16/12/2022

MDSN: Evaluating Social Prescribing Literature Review

Evaluating Social Prescribing – Literature review for the MDSN Evaluation Community of Practice collaborative project

Recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic: strategic decision making by system leaders
16/12/2022

MDSN: Decision-making by senior leaders to support recovery from COVID

This paper summarises experiences of Integrated Care System leaders in making strategic decisions to support recovery of services from

Insight 2022 - Day 1
Blog post 21/11/2022

Insight 2022 - Day 1 - ICSs working together to be intelligence-led organisations: lessons from history

ICSs working together to be intelligence-led organisations: lessons from historyHow can Integrated Care Systems (ICS

Female in hospital bed with drip inserted into back of hand
Blog post 01/07/2022

Blog: Strategies to reduce inequalities in planned care

MDSN responds to recent reports addressing the NHS waiting list crisis

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