The UK Government (2016) define rural areas as those which “fall outside of settlements with more than 10,000 resident population”. This accounts for 90% of England, with 17% of the total population living in local authorities defined as rural (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, 2021).

The Strategy Unit has long been known for the quality of its analytical work, and the clear, critical thinking that underpins it. More recently, we have been asked to provide leadership training and support for organisational development. Individuals, teams, organisations and Systems have found this valuable. We have also enjoyed doing it. And now we are opening our offer so others can benefit.

The aim of the MCNs is to bring together primary care optometrists with local ophthalmologists within a geographical area. This is a review Strategy Unit were commissioned by NHS England to work with a medical retina MCN in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and a glaucoma MCN in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent, to review their work so far and look at the opportunities the networks present.

The initial report from the national urgent community response (UCR) evaluation, along with an economic modelling tool to help service providers and systems understand the impact of UCR, is now available.

Exploring MSK Patient Pathways

Patient Experiences: Facilitators and Barriers. And The Way Forward

Full Report
June 2023 

Exploring the critical building blocks for a resilient social care system in 2035 with the West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (WM-ADASS).

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

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.

“Solving complex problems requires new approaches to problem solving…To do this, organisations and communities need to become skilled in mobilising intelligence of all kinds – data, information, insights and ideas. In the 21st century, we believe this will matter as much as mobilising money or power” Nesta (2019).[1]

3 blogs that will take you through:

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.