NHS Policy & Modernisation
Ipsos MORI works closely with the health service, Treasury and central government policy community on emerging trends and issues in public service delivery and reform. In the NHS, this includes detailed research on Choice, the involvement of the private sector in the NHS, electronic services/IT and their impact, better communications, and so on.
Assessment of patient choice (2005) Warrington PCT needed a mandate for changes to the provision of primary care. The planned restructuring and modernisation would lead to some centralisation of services in primary care and transfer of some services from secondary to primary care. MORI was commissioned to conduct a representative survey of 2,000 residents living in four areas of Warrington. The results enabled Warrington PCT to determine the likely support for or opposition to the planned changes. In addition, the large sample size meant that Warrington PCT were able take a closer look at particular groups of the population. This was important because the views of some groups of residents, for example the elderly or people living in more deprived areas, may differ from others and the trust wanted to ensure the future service provision met the needs of these patients.
Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic Health Authority (2005) This bespoke research programme provided the Birmingham and the Black Country Strategic Health Authority with data for the contract negotiations for an independent sector-run treatment centre in the area. The work built on earlier work conducted by MORI in 2003 regarding public perceptions of choice. In 2005, MORI investigated the reputation of local hospitals and why people choose them. It also assessed likely patient flow in the Choose and Book environment and what factors may influence choice. It includes the GPs' perspective, and shows the substantive impact on they will have on the direction of patient choice. The survey also revealed the differing information needs of the public and the practitioner regarding choice.
Public Services and Choice (June 2004) A survey of the general public, on behalf of the BBC, looking at attitudes towards choice and the role of the private sector in the health and education services. The research shows that the public want to see reform of public services, but have mixed views on the role of choice and whether public money should be used to fund people using private hospitals or schools
NHSU Consultation (2002 -2004) MORI co-ordinated and reported on all the consultation connected with the launch of the new NHS University (NHSU). This was a large project involving a variety of consultation and research techniques aimed at gathering the views of a cross-section of people working in, for or with the NHS. This included Chief Executives and other managers in PCTs, SHAs and other health and social care organisations at national local level, as well as front line staff including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and ancillary staff. Our report and recommendations fed into NHSU's first Strategic Plan. Following this, MORI and MORI Market Dynamics conducted telephone surveys among front line staff and modelling work to explore training needs in more detail and to estimate demand for NHSU's initial learning programmes.
BUPA Survey on Patient Choice (2003) A survey among the general public and general practitioners (GPs'). The objectives of the research were to identify the general public's and GPs' perceptions of the current situation regarding patient choice in healthcare, what choices they feel should be available and what they feel the consequences of patient choice might be. As well as informing BUPA's thinking on the issue of patient choice, the research findings were used in the BUPA Health Debate held in September 2003.
Foundation Hospitals (June 2003) A survey of over 100 NHS Chief Executives, on behalf of the NHS Confederation, examining levels of support for Foundation Trust status within the NHS. The survey found that this group is generally supportive of Foundation Status Hospitals, though they believe other changes will have a greater impact on the NHS in the future.
MORI has also written numerous publications in this area including: