Summary
The “NHS Atlas of Variation in Diagnostic Services”, published by NHS Right Care and Public Health England (with the assistance of numerous other organisations and clinicians), charts significant variations in how health conditions are identified, diagnosed and monitored.
The maps provide information relating to Primary Care Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) where CCG level data is available.
This is the latest in a series of NHS Atlases which have enabled clinicians and commissioners to identify regional variations in the UK, and thereby to remedy and reduce unwarranted variation in the provision of healthcare services.
“Diagnostic services are of great importance in the NHS because, when used correctly, they support or rule out potential diagnoses, and underpin the effective and efficient management of patient pathways… The data included in the Diagnostic Services Atlas will facilitate effective commissioning processes to build a system for improving patient experience”.
Reference
The NHS atlas of variation in diagnostic services: reducing unwarranted variation to increase value and improve quality. Oxford: NHS Right Care [and] Public Health England, November 2013.
Interactive Online InstantAtlas Version
An interactive online version of the Diagnostic Services Atlas is also available:
Possibly also of interest:
Reference
NHS scan and test delays ‘worrying’. London: BBC Health News, June 14th 2014.
