11 April 2025

In a recent blog for the BMJ Leader, CNWL’s Director of Therapies, Dr Ryan Kemp, challenges how we think about productivity in the NHS.

He argues that productivity isn't about cost-cutting or increasing efficiency but should focus on helping people live better lives. For instance, someone with knee pain doesn’t necessarily want surgery, they want to walk comfortably, ride a bike, or play with their grandchildren. In this case, the true 'product' of healthcare is the improvement in patients' quality of life from the interventions offered.

“We improve productivity in healthcare by improving quality or increasing the volume of patients treated without quality falling,” Dr Kemp explains.

Dr Kemp warns that measuring the wrong things, like number of appointments or procedures performed, can lead to wasted effort and promote ineffective practices. And since most clinicians “love delivering higher quality treatment”, starting conversations around quality could be the key to making real improvements.

Read the blog on the BMJ Leader website.