The NHS long term workforce plan projections assume a year-on-year productivity increase of 2%. This has never happened in the history of the NHS. One problem comes from how to measure productivity. Traditionally this has been number of patients seen or number of procedures completed. However, this is not an accurate measure of productivity in psychiatry. Just seeing a patient is not guarantee of helping them. More meaningful productivity measures need to be researched.
The NHS has more staff than ever before but waiting lists are still growing. Demand is outstripping supply, or the potential for supply. Ever more staff is not an option. Individual staff productivity must improve; however, this cannot just be placing more demands whilst having less resources. Productivity measures must be meaningful, measurable and specific.
What is already known about the subject
The Health Foundation’s report on NHS productivity is due at the end of September 2026. This is welcome and will make interesting reading. However, it is aimed at the NHS in its entirety, not mental health specifically. As such it will have some of the same problems that all previous productivity reports have; mental health is not like other specialities.
Who we will be working with
Sheffield Health Partnership University Trust have asked us to help them develop mental health specific outcomes based productivity indicators for psychiatrists. This request was based on a NHS England’s call for improved productivity from doctors.
What we will do
Building on the work of the Health Foundation we will conduct
- Scoping review of outcomes-based productivity measures in mental health
- Qualitative interviews with psychiatrists about what they would like to see in their job plans
- Qualitative interviews with mental health service users to see what they consider a productive doctor to look like
Following an additional application for funding - Implement the new job plans to test productivity change and cost benefit analysis
What the benefit and impact will be
Improved productivity whilst maintaining staff wellbeing is essential to the future of the NHS. This project aims to develop meaningful outcomes-based productivity measures for mental health doctors that will allow for improvement in patient care without causing staff burnout.
When the findings will be available
Scoping review by the end of 2027, the qualitative work will produce findings by 2030
How we are planning for knowledge mobilisation and implementation
Us, our partners, and stakeholders have direct access to NHS England, DHSC, and RCPsych