Summary
The Medical Technology Group’s analysis of data from the 209 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), concerning regional inequalities in patient access to treatments and assessments involving medical technology, discovered unacceptable variations (including inequalities between the North and South of England).
“NHS England should publish aggregate figures for 18 Week Wait performances on a user-friendly website, so that the figures are accessible and easy to comprehend for all who wish to understand how their local CCG is performing”. (p.5).
Reference
Pym, H. (2017). How bad is the NHS postcode lottery? London: BBC Health News, August 15th 2017.
This relates to:
Reference
The North-South NHS divide: how where you are, not what you need dictates your care – a report by the Medical Technology Group. [Online]: The Medical Technology Group, August 2017.
Plus ça Change, Plus C’est la Même Chose?
A broader look at the apparent absence of progress in tackling health inequalities over a longer timescale; covering recent decades and governments:
Reference
Buck, D. (2017). Reducing inequalities in health: towards a brave old world?. [Online]: The King’s Fund, August 2017.
Possibly of interest, regarding Stockton:
Reference
Bilton, R. (2017). Dying young in Stockton – England’s most unequal town. London: BBC Health News / BBC Panorama, July 30th 2018.