Recommendation BRIS-153: Develop clear, high-quality national healthcare performance indicators comprehensible to the public
From Bristol Heart Inquiry — Final Report, published 18 July 2001.
Recommendation
At national level, the indicators of performance should be comprehensible to the public as well as to healthcare professionals. They should be fewer and of high quality, rather than numerous but of questionable or variable quality.
Government response
No government response to this recommendation is on the record yet.
Delivery
DHSC and NHS England say in progress (27 February 2026)
NHS England merged with NHS Digital in 2023 and took on its role to provide easy to access data on performance indicators. NHS Outcomes Framework indicators are available on the NHS England website.
Site note: DHSC and NHS England's own account of progress, supplied to the Thirlwall Inquiry in September 2024 and printed in the Inquiry legal team's Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version dated April 2025, published 27 February 2026). It is not a finding of the Inquiry. Their reviewed extent of implementation reads “Implemented – Ongoing”. Table row: section 6.2 No. 153, PDF page 139.
What other bodies have found
In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.
Thirlwall Inquiry legal team (27 February 2026)
The Government agreed with this recommendation.
In its January 2002 response, the Department of Health said it had undertaken a wide-ranging consultation with the NHS and public on which performance indicators should be published, and in September 2001 and published 6 high level indicators against which acute trusts were rated.
Site note: The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team's own notes on implementation, from its Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version dated April 2025, published 27 February 2026). The review does not colour its Extent of Implementation cell for this recommendation green; it leaves the cell uncoloured where a recommendation was rejected, where evidence of implementation was insufficient, or where steps had been taken but implementation was not yet complete. Table row: section 6.2 No. 153, PDF page 139.
Earlier findings (1)
Thirlwall Inquiry legal team (15 May 2024)
The Government agreed with this recommendation. In its January 2002 response, the Department of Health said it had undertaken a wide-ranging consultation with the NHS and public on which performance indicators should be published, and in September 2001 published 6 high level indicators against which acute trusts were rated.
Site note: The Thirlwall Inquiry legal team's own notes on implementation, from its Review of Implementation of Recommendations from Previous Inquiries into Healthcare Issues (version of 15 May 2024). The review does not colour its Extent of Implementation cell for this recommendation green; it leaves the cell uncoloured where a recommendation was rejected, where evidence of implementation was insufficient, or where steps had been taken but implementation was not yet complete. Table row: section 6.2 No. 153, PDF page 121-122.
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- DHSC and NHS England
Delivery statement - Thirlwall Inquiry legal team
Finding