The NHS is spending tens of millions of pounds each year on operations of questionable benefit to patients’ health, according to groundbreaking figures.

The first results from the biggest ever collection of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), published last week, provide hard evidence that many procedures carried out added little value to health or quality of life.

Since April last year, patients undergoing groin hernia, varicose vein and hip and knee operations have been asked questions before and several months after their procedure.

Patients’ answers to one set of questions - on generic items such as pain levels and walking ability - showed that, in one third of cases, that there had been no change or their condition had deteriorated. However, this varied significantly between procedures.

Calculations by HSJ based on this set of questions - called the EQ-5D - suggest 80,000 operations of the four types covered by the PROMs data carried out each year result in no change or a deterioration in a patient’s condition. These operations are estimated to cost the NHS £180m overall.

Patients also answered a separate set of questions specific to their condition, except for groin hernia repairs. They reported no change or a deterioration in 9 per cent of cases. The overall value of these is around £49m.

The figures, published by the NHS Information Centre, also include the adjusted health gain - average change in condition from before to after surgery - for each eligible trust.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said in a statement: “This is the first time this type of information has been gathered on such a large scale and it will be of enormous interest to those charged with planning services and ensuring patients get the best quality care.”

King’s Fund chief economist John Appleby, who published a guide to using PROMs earlier this year, said the value of the results would continue to grow each month as more were added.

At present, analysis is limited by small numbers of responses. About 70,000 complete PROMs have been analysed so far.

Professor Appleby said the results meant that the amount a hospital spent on providing an operation could be compared with the quality of life gained for the first time.

He said: “Cost effectiveness information could prove to be very useful. Hospitals can learn from each other about how to carry out a good hip operation at a reasonable price.”

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