Using clinical practice variations as a method for commissioners and clinicians to identify and prioritise opportunities for disinvestment

"We aimed to explore if geographical variation in procedure rates is a marker of clinical uncertainty and might be used by local commissioners to identify procedures that are potential candidates for disinvestment."

Using clinical practice variations as a method for commissioners and clinicians to identify and prioritise opportunities for disinvestment in health care: a cross-sectional study, systematic reviews and qualitative study
W Hollingworth et al.
Health Services Delivery and Research, 3(13), April 2015

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NICE Drug allergy: costing statement

"This costing statement considers the cost implications of implementing the recommendations made in Drug allergy: diagnosis and management of drug allergy in adults, children and young people (NICE clinical guideline 183). 1.2 A costing statement of resource effects has been produced for this guideline as variation in clinical practice across the country means users should consider and assess the impact locally."

Costing statement: Drug allergy: diagnosis and management of drug allergy in adults, children 
and young people. Implementing the NICE guideline on Drug allergy in adults, children and young people (CG183)
NICE
September 2014

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Exploring variations in access to surgery among older people

"CCGs should evaluate their treatment rates across each 

procedure and seek to explain whether, and if so why, their rates are appropriate. 

CCGs should look to benchmark their own rates against those of their peers, identify 

what action is required to improve access to treatment for older patients and improve 

their assurance process through changes across the commissioning cycle."

Access all ages 2: exploring variations in access to surgery among older people

Royal College of Surgeons, Age UK
July 2014

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Diagnosing bowel cancer early: right test, right time

"With the added pressures that the increase in demand is likely to present, ensuring endoscopy units continue to be of the highest quality is paramount to prevent people from dying prematurely."

Diagnosing bowel cancer early: right test, right time
Bowel Cancer UK
2014

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Focus on: antidepressant prescribing

"These analyses suggest that there is a complex interaction of factors driving the ever-increasing prescribing of antidepressants – acting at individual level, practice level and across broader society."

Focus on: antidepressant prescribing: trends in the prescribing of antidepressants in primary care (Quality Watch)

R Spence, A Roberts, C Ariti, M Bardsley

The Health Foundation, Nuffield Trust

May 2014

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European guideline variations and access to innovative therapies for rheumatoid arthritis

"This report usefully documents the variation in treatment across 12 European countries in the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and notes the large cost imposed on societies by this disease."

A common disease with uncommon treatment: European guideline variations and access to innovative therapies for rheumatoid arthritis
T Hockley, J Costa-Font
Policy Analysis Centre Limited
June 2012

Read more here.