BMJ  2004;328:106 (10 January), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7431.106

Letter

Is the NHS getting better or worse?

Making use of information is the key

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Smith in his editorial indicates that the NHS needs to gather more information.1

Although more information is a common call from researchers and policy makers alike, it can lead to change only if it is used (presumably we collect information so that if the NHS is doing well we can all sit back and relax, if not it's time to try something new).

The recent opinion piece from Alan Maynard in the Sunday Times makes it clear that information that is currently collected is typically poorly used in the NHS.2 What use is a new agency to collate information if it still isn't used? We need to make sure that information gathering doesn't simply stop there, and that information will lead to real change.

Leela M Barham, analyst

National Economic Research Associates, London W1C 1BE leela.barham@nera.com

Competing interests: LB works for a consultancy firm and is paid by the private and public sector for research. No financial gain will be . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Is the NHS getting better or worse?
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BMJ 2003 327: 1239-1241. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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