The early outcomes of inguinal hernia repair in routine practice and the extent to which the laparoscopic approach is used are unknown. The aims of this study were to identify national benchmarks for early reoperation and readmission rates, to identify the degree to which the laparoscopic approach is used for elective hernia surgery in England, and to identify whether there is any variation nationally.

Despite an increasing emphasis on data-driven quality improvement, few validated quality indicators for emergency surgical services have been published. The aims of this study therefore were: 1) to investigate whether the acute cholecystectomy rate is a valid process indicator; and 2) to use this rate to examine variation in the provision of acute cholecystectomy in England.

Increasing scrutiny on both individual and unit outcomes after surgical procedures is now expected. In the field of inflammatory bowel disease, this is particularly pertinent for outcomes after ileoanal pouch surgery.

The aims of this study were firstly to examine the processes and outcomes of anti-reflux surgery in England and compare them to national guidelines and secondly to explore potential variations in practice nationally and establish peer benchmarks.

Emergency day case surgery for drainage of abscesses is an established care pathway that is not widely practised. This paper reviews the current length of stay for patients in England undergoing treatment, specifically for perianal abscesses.

To undertake a pragmatic, comparative analysis of cancer care pathways to identify drivers of improving cancer survival across Europe, using colon cancer as a case study.

To review evidence-based processes used in UK cancer funding decisions, using biologics in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) as a case study.

To investigate unwarranted variation in ventilation tube (VT) insertions for
otitis media with effusion (OME) in children in England. This procedure is known to be ‘overused’ from audits of care provided, as only one in three VT insertions conform to the appropriateness criteria by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE); but audits cannot identify the scale of ‘underuse’: i.e. patients who would benefit but are not treated.