Objectives The UK's National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has an explicit cost-effectiveness threshold for deciding whether or not services are to be provided in the National Health Service (NHS), but there is currently little evidence to support the level at which it is...

The London Patient Choice Project (LPCP) was established to offer NHS patients more choice over where and when they receive treatment, and to reduce waiting times. The LPCP offered those patients waiting around 6 months for elective procedures a choice of treatment at an alternative NHS or...

Introduction to economic analysis in health care -- The demand for health care -- The production and costs of health care -- The supply of health care -- Markets, market failure, and the role of government in health care -- Health insurance and health care financing -- Equity in health care --...

Background: It is often assumed that the objective of health care is to maximise health using available resources. This is the principle underpinning NICE's use of cost effectiveness analysis based on incremental cost per QALY gained. Yet research on local NHS decision making shows that cost per...