A new paper published in The Lancet has stated evidence that productivity in the NHS has significantly increased in the last 10 years as a result of additional funding.
Primarily, the paper focuses on increased productivity, which counteracts claims by the health secretary, Andrew Lansley. Lansley previously asserted that NHS productivity had fallen by 15%, with this supposed reduction thought to be one of the key foundations for the controversial Health and Social Care Bill.
The paper was published by Nick Black, Professor of Health Services Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He produces evidence that questions the analysis of the Office of National Statistics (ONS) previously used to work out the productivity of the NHS. The ONS looked at the return for taxpayers by comparing public expenditure with how much patients used the health service and what the outcomes were. Black argues that the measures used by the ONS do not reflect the substantial improvements in NHS care.
The paper additionally states a reduction in deaths resulting from specialist procedures in the NHS. Declines specifically occurred in adult critical care (2.4% a year), dialysis (3.3% a year), and coronary artery bypass surgery (4.9% a year).
Patients’ experience of how they were treated is also thought to have improved. 70% of respondents to the annual British Social Attitudes survey reported they were overall “satisfied” with the NHS, the highest figure ever recorded.
Additionally, there were annual relative increases in the proportion of patients treated within four hours in accident and emergency departments (2.5% a year) and in the numbers operated on within 28 days of their operation having been cancelled for non-clinical reasons (10.4% a year).
Despite criticisms over pay increases for front-line staff, Black asserts that this was money well spent. Although staff continued to work the same amount of time, Black states that increased spending had a direct effect on improving quality and outcomes.
The paper does not put a figure on the rise in NHS productivity, and Black said this would need more work.
In response to the paper, the Department of Health issued a statement from the health minister Simon Burns.
“We have always been clear that productivity in the NHS needs to improve and are committed to better outcomes for patients across the country. We are investing an extra £12.5 billion in the NHS, but we want to make every penny count” Burns said.
Original Source The Guardian
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