Researchers from the University of York’s Centre for Health Economics have studied the effect of the pro-competition reforms introduced in the 2000s by the Labour government on local communities, stating that the results imply that competition had not negatively affected the NHS.

Similar to the controversy surrounding the current Health and Social Care Bill, critics of the reforms at the time warned that increased competition would lead to hospitals ‘cherry-picking’ the most profitable patients.

Researchers used data on all NHS hospital patients in England to examine whether increased competition had led to increased socio-economic inequality of access to health care. From 2001/2 to 2008/9, researchers found no substantial change in socio-economic patterns of hospital use, either overall or for a number of common hospital services including hip, cataract, heart and gastroscopy procedures.

Evidence was reviewed from three recent econometric studies of the New Labour market, which all show a seemingly causal relation between greater competition and lower hospital mortality. These studies contradicted previous findings that competition in the NHS was largely ineffective, or even had negative consequences.

Project lead Dr Richard Cookson said that the findings also echo similar results from previous research into the Conservative ‘internal market’ reforms of the NHS in the 1990. Cookson stated that neither Conservative nor Labour attempts to introduce competition into the NHS appear to have had any measurable effect on socio-economic equity in healthcare.

The authors also looked at two econometric studies examining the effects of introducing patient choice in elective surgery. The study assumed that this competition would improve elective surgery, which would in turn improve hospital quality. “We believe there are strong grounds for introducing patient choice into the NHS as an end in itself, given its potential to empower patients and give them greater control over the conditions of their care” said Cookson.

Despite these assumptions, the researchers state that little is yet known about how patient choice in elective surgery has affected outcomes. They concluded that “more research is required before conclusions can be drawn about the effect of recent reforms on hospital quality, let alone about the merits of Mr Lansley’s proposals to further extend competition”.

Whether or not competition improves patient outcomes, increased encouragement of patient choice in the type and location of their treatment will mean that ultimately Trusts will need more accurate knowledge of their standards of patient care and the costs associated with treatment. In an attempt to improve clarity around outcomes, Trusts could seek to implement an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) System like Therapy Manager which illustrates the true Costs of Care by speciality and by condition, ensuring that the highest quality patient care is provided at the best price.

Original Source GP Online

About Pathway Software

Pathway Software (www.pathwaysoftware.com) specialises in the design and development of patient information systems for Allied Health professionals.

Its flagship product, Therapy Manager, is an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system specifically designed for Therapy Services to provide decision makers with the ability to track and manage clinical activity and analyse cost of care by patient, episode or service. The system also demonstrably reduces administration time and the costs of managing Therapy Services.