New Seminar Briefing: Delivering an Outcomes-based NHS: Creating the Right Conditions

This OHE Seminar Briefing summarises a seminar given by Dr Nicholas Hicks, Co-founder and Chief Executive of COBIC. Dr Hicks describes COBIC’s outcomes-centred approach that has been adopted by NHS services across England.

Just published is a new OHE Seminar Briefing entitled: Delivering an Outcomes-based NHS: Creating the Right Conditions. This OHE Seminar Briefing summarises a seminar given by Dr Nicholas Hicks, Co-founder and Chief Executive of COBIC (Capitated Outcomes-Based Incentivised Care).

Dr Hicks describes COBIC’s outcomes-centred approach that has been adopted by NHS services across England and that brings together commissioners, providers, other professions, patients and carers.

The COBIC approach involves six elements: (1) defined population and scope, (2) desired outcomes associated with indicators, (3) service model redesign, (4) financial analysis and defined budget, (5) agreed contract form and duration, describing incentives and risks, and (6) readied and prepared service providers.

In this Briefing, Dr Hicks discusses the example of the Bedfordshire Musculoskeletal (MSK) project, where COBIC worked with Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group to improve MSK care and outcomes, and to decrease per capita costs.

The core of the plan was triage, based on shared decision making, which was intended to direct patients to the right treatment the first time and to emphasise community care.

The figure below shows the results after the first year of the contract. About a third of patients chose less intervention, i.e. an alternative to surgery, when they received comprehensive information about the choices available to them. Referrals to hospitals declined, and patient outcomes improved. Dr Hicks comments that “It is rare to see such rapid change in the NHS”.

Download the full briefing here.