The link between health spending and health outcomes for the new English primary care trusts

This report describes a model which takes into account population need in a way that has not previously been undertaken. The authors note that their work has a number of limitations including the use of a rather narrow outcome indicator (mortality) and the need to assume a relatively stable pattern of spending by PCTs across programmes over the recent past. Notwithstanding these limitations, the study offers clear confirmation that current expenditure by PCTs on some important programmes of care is highly cost-effective and illustrates how programme budgeting data can be used to generate information which might usefully inform PCTs' spending decisions.

Published June 2009, 64 pages

Evidence-based Commissioning Collaboration

The Evidence-based Commissioning Collaboration is currently made up of 2 commissioning consortia: North Derbyshire, South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw Commissioning Consortium (NORCOM), and part of The North East Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire Primary Care Organisation (NEYNL), which, on behalf of PCTs in their areas, are working with the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR). ScHARR is based in the University of Sheffield and houses the northern arm of the Trent Research and Development Support Unit.

The objective of the Collaboration is to share research knowledge about the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of service interventions to inform the commissioning process. These will usually be interventions which are not likely to be addressed by NICE in the near future. The choice of topics is determined collectively by the PCTs through their commissioning Consortia.

Cost effectiveness of … screening for Chlamydia

The objective was to investigate the cost effectiveness of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis compared with a policy of no organised screening in the United Kingdom.

BMJ , 2007; 335, (7614) p. 291-294

Ask your local health librarian to locate this item for you.

Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: cost-effectiveness comparison

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of four risk-lowering interventions (smoking cessation, antihypertensives, aspirin, and statins) in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: A cost-effective strategy should offer smoking cessation for smokers and aspirin for moderate and high levels of risk among men 45 years of age and older. Statin therapy is the most expensive option in primary prevention at levels of 10-year coronary heart disease risk below 30 percent and should not constitute the first choice of treatment in these populations.

Int J Technol Assess Health Care. 2007 Winter;23(1):71-9.

Increasing NHS Efficiency

As the NHS works towards achieving financial balance and meeting targets for service improvement, increasing attention is being given to ways of improving efficiency. The focus on efficiency is likely to sharpen in the period up to and after 2008 when the growth in expenditure is likely to slow following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.

(Published February 2007)

Cost-effectiveness of a nurse-led case management

The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a nurse-led, home-based, case-management intervention (NHI) after hospital discharge in addition to usual care. In conclusion the authors do not recommend the implementation of this intervention in populations that do not consist of severely vulnerable and complex patients.

Journal of psychosomatic research, 2007, vol. 62, no. 3, p. 363-70 (available via your local NHS Library)

Improving Stroke Services: A guide for Commissioners

This Department for Health guide provides advice to commissioners on good practice on improving stroke services and highlights key issues to consider and summarises supporting resources. The toolkit, ASSET, is to assist NHS commissioners modernise stroke services. It shows PCTs and GPs, by using their own statistics, how better care will save money in the long run, reduce hospital bed days, and save lives.

(Published 7/12/06, 50 pages)