How is the NHS performing?

"This fifth report aims to take stock of what has happened over the past year – the first year of the £20 billion productivity challenge for the NHS – and provide an update on how the NHS is coping as it continues to grapple with this challenge and implement the government’s NHS reforms."

How is the NHS performing? Quarterly monitoring report
The King's Fund
May 2012

Read more here.

Deciphering harm measurement

"Improvement in health care quality and safety can be notable when measurement criteria are clear, evidence is strong, and policy and interventions are focused."

Deciphering harm measurement
G Parry, A Cline, D Goldmann
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012, 307(2):2155-2156

Read more here.

Assessing value in health care programs

"Programs designed to improve health and prevent disease should be evaluated based on whether they improve health at a reasonable price, essentially comparing whether improvements in health are achieved for less resources than through alternatives, eg, expenditures on health care services."

Assessing value in health care programs
KG Volpp, G Loewenstein, DA Asch
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2012, 307(2):2153-2154

Read more here.

A preliminary guide to measuring 'harm free' care

"This guide is designed to provide support in implementing the NHS Safety Thermometer and achieving the 2012/13 CQUIN. It shares learning about the best ways to use the tool and what support is available. It offers technical support in validating data and enables readers to start to understand their data."

Delivering the NHS Safety Thermometer CQUIN 2012/13: a preliminary guide to measuring 'harm free' care
QIPP Safe Care Team
Department of Health
May 2012

Read more here.

Quality accounts: 2011/12 audit guidance

"Guidance for NHS trusts on additional reporting requirements to support external audit of Quality Accounts for the year 2011/12."

Quality accounts: 2011/12 audit guidance
Department of Health
April 2012

Read more here and access the accompanying toolkit here.

An evaluation of the use of performance measures in health care

The study addressed the following four overarching questions, with subtopics listed below each
question:

1. How are performance measures being used in practice?
2. What factors are influencing measure use?
3. What types of system changes have occurred as a result of measure use?
4. What improvement areas could facilitate the use of standardized endorsed performance measures by various end users?

An evaluation of the use of performance measures in health care
CL Damberg, ME Sorbero, SL Lovejoy, K Lauderdale, S Wertheimer, A Smith, D Waxman, C Schnyer
National Quality Forum, RAND Corporation
December 2011

Read more here.

Does improving safety culture affect outcomes?

"This research scan examines whether improving safety culture has an impact on patient and staff outcomes."

Research scan: Does improving safety culture affect outcomes?
The Health Foundation
November 2011

Read more here.

Evaluating healthcare quality improvement

On the 6th June 2011, the Health Foundation hosted a roundtable event, where senior figures from the field of improvement science came together to discuss interventions to improve the quality of healthcare.

Evaluating healthcare quality improvement: a summary of learning from a Health Foundation roundtable
The Health Foundation
November 2011

Read more here.

Measuring impact in health improvement

"This guide provides a practical introduction to impact assessment and takes you through the basic steps of how to plan and deliver an impact assessment project."

Measuring impact in health improvement: an accessible guide for health practitioners
Local Government Improvement and Development
January 2011

Read more here.

How do quality accounts measure up?

"Quality accounts are a key mechanism through which health care organisations can demonstrate their focus on improving the quality of their service."

How do quality accounts measure up? Findings from the first year
C Foot, V Raleigh, S Ross
The King's Fund
January 2011

Read more here.

Measuring health outcomes: the outcome hierarchy

"Measuring, reporting, and comparing outcomes is perhaps the most important step toward unlocking rapid outcome improvement and making good choices about reducing costs."

This framework paper is Supplementary Appendix 2 to Porter ME. What is value in health care? N Engl J Med 2010; 363:2477-81

Read more here.