Enhancing the use analysis and dissemination of healthcare information
In the case of each specialty, a programme of development for statistics on the efficacy of treatment should be prepared, published, and subjected to regular review.
- Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) has developed specialty-specific programmes across more than 50 areas of clinical practice since its establishment as a national programme in November 2016. Each specialty programme involves clinically-led reviews combining data analysis with senior clinical input to examine treatment outcomes, variation, and best practice. Programmes are reviewed and updated regularly (GIRFT).
- The National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP) publishes annual reports for each of its 30+ national audits, including analysis of treatment efficacy, compliance with clinical standards, and outcome variation between providers. Each audit publishes a methodology, data quality assessment, and recommendations for improvement (HQIP, National Programmes).
- The Model Health System provides specialty-level benchmarking data updated monthly across 16+ surgical and medical specialties, including metrics such as length of stay, day case rates, readmissions, and mortality. This provides the ongoing, publicly available specialty statistics programme Francis envisaged (NHS England, Model Health System).
- Medical Royal Colleges and specialist societies maintain their own outcome registries and quality improvement programmes, complementing the national infrastructure.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" in March 2013. Key reforms included a new Chief Inspector of Hospitals, strengthened Care Quality Commission inspection regime, a statutory duty of candour, and the fit and proper person test for NHS directors. Volume 2 (Cm 8754) contains the government's detailed responses to each of the 290 recommendations. See: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7cd486ed915d63cc65d167/34658_Cm_8777_Vol_1_accessible.pdf
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Research published 2023 marking ten years since the Francis Report found mixed results. Structural and legislative changes largely delivered (duty of candour, FPPR, CQC overhaul, revalidation, Freedom to Speak Up Guardians). However, cultural change not fully embedded; understaffing, fear of speaking up, and poor complaint handling persist in parts of the NHS.
Government published "Culture Change in the NHS" (Cm 9009) reporting progress on all 290 recommendations. Key achievements: 19 hospitals placed in special measures; those trusts recruited 109 additional doctors and 1,805 additional nurses; 129 board-level changes made; excess avoidable deaths fell by 450 in less than a year.
Government published "Hard Truths: The Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) in two volumes. Vol 1 set out new actions; Vol 2 provided detailed response to each of the 290 recommendations. Approximately 204 of 290 recommendations were fully accepted.