Message from Anne Mason (ESHCRU Director)
Happy Autumn everyone!
Welcome to the last edition of our ESHCRU newsletter for 2025. We’re approaching the end of year two of our five-year programme. How time flies!
Most of our current projects will end in December, and the research teams have been busy developing new proposals for 2026. Our Oversight Group, Advisory Groups and the PPI Governance Group have provided constructive feedback on early drafts of the new research ideas, and our liaison office Roxy Smith has set up meetings with DHSC / NHSE colleagues to ensure the new projects are aligned with policy priorities.
Current work has continued apace – check out the publications, talks and policy engagement sections below. In addition to our ‘core’ work, I’m proud to report some special highlights over the last few months:
- For the first time to my knowledge, ESHCRU – with EEPRU colleagues – submitted written evidence to a Parliamentary inquiry – Reducing NHS waiting times for elective care. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed, and especially to Luigi Siciliani for spotting the opportunity and leading the evidence submission.
- We’ve been aware for some time that there is a dearth of accessible training on econometrics for non-economists. James Gaughan has now filled that gap! He worked extremely hard to develop materials, supported by our amazing PPI Governance Group who provided input and advice on an earlier version of the training. James recently delivered the webinar, which will soon be posted on our YouTube channel once approved by DHSC. Very many thanks to James.
- NIHR has encouraged us to develop a Research Capacity Development Plan. The management team drafted this, but we were acutely conscious that it lacked input from early career researchers and our PhD students. Sarthak Saluja (LSE) and Xiaotong Li (York) volunteered to help! They designed, ran and analysed a survey to gather views from their peers, which we’ll use to identify suitable training to equip our ECRs and students.
- We now have a LinkedIn Page. If you are on LinkedIn, please follow us!
All that remains is for me to say a very big “thank you” to everyone for your enthusiasm, hard work and willingness to go the extra mile. I particularly want to commend those who work quietly and effectively behind the scenes to make ESHCRU run smoothly – our wonderful project co-ordinator Louise Campbell, her LSE counterpart Daniel Gulliford and our amazing finance teams on both sites who help to keep the show on the road.
Dissemination and engagement
Published outputs
Publications are detailed on the ESHCRU website. Recent outputs include:
- Living alone and provider behaviour in public and private hospitals • Siciliani L, Wen J, Gaughan J. • Journal of Health Economics • Download Publication
- Is Caring Productive? The Effect of Adult Social Care on Paid Production in England • Longo F, Claxton K, Mason A, Salas-Ortiz A, Villasenor-Lopez A. • Health Economics • Download Publication
- Incentivizing Hospital Quality Through Care Bundling • Grašič K, Villaseñor A, Gaughan J, Gutacker N, Siciliani L. • Health Economics • Download Publication
Research summaries on ESHCRU work
- What winter cancellations tell us about NHS waiting times • Matias M A • CHE Research Summary 45 • Download Publication
Presentations
- Tests and treatments: the link between diagnostic procedures and inpatient care • Sivey P • Update to DHSC • 24 June 2025.
- The effect of advancements in medical technology on health care expenditure • Arabadzhyan A • Health Economists’ Study Group, 1 July 2025.
- Identifying bottlenecks in the patient pathway from primary care to surgery: The case of hip and knee replacement • Gaughan J • Health Economists’ Study Group • 1 July 2025.
- From tests to treatments: how is increased diagnostic testing related to inpatient and outpatient care? • Sivey P • Health Economists’ Study Group • 1 July 2025.
- Drivers of hospital length of stay and its interface with quality of care • Siciliani L • Presentation to DHSC • 10 July 2025.
- Living alone? The effect of living alone on patient length of stay in public and private hospitals • Wen J • iHEA, Bali • 22 July 2025.
- Demand for Community Health Services and Interaction with Hospital Services • Wittenberg R • Discussion with The Strategy Unit • 23 July 2025.
- From tests to treatments: how is increased diagnostic testing related to inpatient and outpatient care? • Sivey P • 4th AdvancedPharmaco&HealthEConomics Workshop – University of Genoa • 12-13 September 2025.
- The Impact of Waiting Time on Patient Outcomes: The Case of Joint Replacement Surgery • Santos R • 4th AdvancedPharmaco&HealthEConomics Workshop – University of Genoa • 12-13 September 2025.
- Avoidable drivers of falls among older people: The impact of housing quality and characteristics • Cartagena Farias J • Presentation to DHSC • 26 September 2025.
PPIE news
Introduction to Health Econometrics webinar, 22 September 2025
On 22 September, we held an introductory training webinar on Health Econometrics for our PPI Panel. A huge thank you to James Gaughan for creating and leading the session, and to our PPI Governance Group for piloting it. We also want to give a special thanks to our PPI panel members for their engaged and constructive participation.
Subject to NIHR approval, a recording of the webinar will be available to view on our website.
Stakeholder engagement
The Oversight Group met on 4 July where new project proposals were discussed. The following current project was presented:
- Future health care demand and the compression or expansion of morbidity (Nigel Rice).
The York Advisory Group met on 17 July where new project proposals in York were discussed and the following current work was presented:
- The effect of advancements in medical technology on health care expenditure (Anastasia Arabadzhyan).
- Drivers of hospital length of stay and its interface with quality of care (Luigi Siciliani).
We are very grateful to all our Advisory Group members for their continued support and interest in our work.
Website and Comms
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