One of the conclusions of the Phase I Report was that the collection of data which captures diagnostic test requesting activity is vital and underpins any demand optimisation programme.
As part of the programme, the Information Management Service (IMS) have developed an interactive Atlas of Variation for Diagnostic Laboratory Tests. This allows unwarranted variation to be easily visualised and not only highlights under- and over-requesting, but also identifies where diagnostic gaps exist, which in turn enables targeted intervention.
In collaboration with the National Diagnostic Networks , a number of specific tests most likely to show variation in requesting were chosen to include into the Atlas. The data for these tests is collected in yearly time periods and covers both GP and non-GP requests.
The resulting data has been analysed and presented in user friendly dashboards that can be viewed as individual GP practices, clusters, regions and also as a national view.
Educational resources:
Atlas of Variation frequently asked questions