EMHeP: Efficiency, cost and quality of mental healthcare provision
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Efficiency, cost and quality of mental healthcare provision
IRAS ID
230877
Contact name
Rowena Jacobs
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of York
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, months, days
Research summary
Mental illness has a significant impact on individuals, society and the economy. The mental healthcare sector is under huge financial pressure and providers have embarked on large-scale cost reduction programmes. Service reconfigurations have not been evidence-based which has impacted negatively on quality of care. Little is known about how providers allocate resources to drive efficiency improvements, or whether they produce the right mix of outputs. This research will analyse the efficiency, cost and quality of mental healthcare provision. We will assess which quality indicators and production attributes (e.g. waiting time for appointment, patient experience) are valued by service users and clinicians. We will derive QALY weights for different aspects of quality to assess efficiency using a QALY framework. We will estimate variation in costs and QALY-weighted composite measures of quality and produce a cost-effectiveness plane for MH Trusts. We will identify high-quality low-cost providers (and vice versa) and organisational factors that are associated with cost-effectiveness. We will assess how Trusts can reallocate resources to activities where they are relatively more cost-effective, thereby improving allocative efficiency. Finally, we will estimate how MH Trusts allocate inputs (e.g. capital, labour) and what input-mix might be associated with improved cost-effectiveness. This study will use mixed methods, including large linked national datasets, surveys, focus groups and interviews, delivered by a multi-skilled cross-institution team with strong links to health service partners. Our research accords with policy priorities in the Five Year Forward View in mental healthcare (FYFV) of reducing unwarranted variations and will support transformational change. We have a track-record of disseminating our work with service users, policymakers and practitioners and will ensure our findings translate into sustainable changes in practice.
REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0383
Date of REC Opinion
25 Oct 2017
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion