\u00a0<\/strong>Accountability in STPs<\/strong> Does hospital competition improve efficiency?<\/strong> NIHR Signals<\/strong> Mergers and acquisitions<\/strong> Funding for contraception services<\/strong> NICE guidance<\/strong><\/p>\n Evidence Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nThe Nuffield Trust has published A two-way street: what can CCGs teach us about accountability in STPs?<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0This report explores the accountability and performance management arrangements for CCGs and looks at the implications of these for STPs and accountable care systems.\u00a0 It is based on 13 interviews with senior CCG leaders and NHS England policy makers which took place in September 2016.<\/p>\n
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\nThe Centre for Health Economics has published Does hospital competition improve efficiency? The effect of the patient choice reform in England<\/a>.\u00a0 This report examines whether the introduction of patient choice of hospital has resulted in greater efficiency by stimulating hospital competition.\u00a0 The results show that competition has had mixed effects on efficiency.\u00a0 Greater competition encourages hospitals to increase efficiency by increasing admissions per bed and proportion of day cases, and by reducing the proportion of untouched meals.\u00a0 However, hospitals appear less efficient in terms of cancelled elective operations.<\/p>\n
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\nThe National Institute for Health Research has published new Signals containing summaries of published research for health and social care decision makers:<\/p>\n\n
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\nThe Healthcare Financial Management Association has published Combining NHS bodies \u2013 a practical checklist for mergers and acquisitions<\/a>.\u00a0 This checklist is intended to be used once the decision has been made for a reorganisation even if finer details have still to be agreed.\u00a0 It includes corporate governance, internal control, financial management, staffing, information and communications and reorganisation costs.<\/p>\n
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\nThe Advisory Group on Contraception has published Cuts, closers and contraception: an audit of local contraceptive services<\/a>.\u00a0 This report presents the results from a Freedom of Information request to all upper and unitary tier local authorities.\u00a0 It shows local authority contraception budgets are being cut and contraceptive care services have closed or are under threat in more than one third of English local councils since 2015.<\/p>\n
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