The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7411 p128
29 July 2006

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Do not mask inappropriate variations in care, says CMO

Professional autonomy must not be used to mask inappropriate variations in the way evidence is applied to health care, Sir Liam Donaldson, England's chief medical officer, says in his annual report published last week.

“[Inappropriate variation] suggests waste and highlights potential problems in resource allocation and knowledge management,” he says.

Sir Liam wants the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to produce guidance that would support disinvestment from interventions that are of no proven value. He also suggests that tariff payments from commissioners to providers of care could be varied, according to the effectiveness and likely appropriateness of the procedure in question.

The CMO’s report also considers the importance of protecting public health budgets and infrastructure and suggests that the new primary care trusts and strategic health authorities should pay early attention to the threat of an influenza pandemic.