Variations in health care in the NHS are a persistent and ubiquitous problem. But which variations are acceptable or warranted – for example, variations driven by clinical need and informed patient choice – and which are not? The important question is how to promote ‘good’ variation and minimise ‘bad’ variation. ...
Our health is determined by a complex mix of factors including income, housing and employment status, and lifestyle. There are significant inequalities in health, including life expectancy, between individuals and groups in society. So what creates those inequalities and what are the implications? This report revisits and updates some of ...
The literature on geographical variations in health care is large and growing. A comprehensive review of this literature would be a major task and is beyond the scope of this paper. Instead, the paper summarises some of the key issues which emerge from the literature and identifies the implications for ...