Steve Black
I'm a data scientist who has been supporting the NHS to make better use of data for a decade and a half. I'm an expert in A&E data and performance, having more experience of the datasets than most of the people still working on them in the civil service.
I'm @sib313 on Twitter and blog at https://policyskeptic.blogspot.co.uk
matt_black is a pseudonym I needed to use when working for big consulting and the NHS so I didn't have to get permission before commenting. I now work independently.
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: More healthcare can harm not heal
Many discussions post-Darzi miss key insights, mistakenly linking NHS issues solely to underfunding while evidence suggests more activity can lead to worse health outcomes
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Will the 10-year NHS Plan matter?
Steve Black previews the imminent budget and the publication of the government’s NHS plan
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Hospitals should be run like factories
Steve Black analyses the assertion that the NHS should not operate like a factory
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Management matters more than money
The idea that only the amount of money spent matters for healthcare performance or improvement is wrong. Hospitals with better management practices do a better job on both clinical and financial outcomes
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Wilful blindness will not fix the NHS
The medical establishment and its leadership are sometimes very resistant to change, even when presented with clear, solid evidence, leading to serious harm, writes Steve Black
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Streeting’s first job – build management capability
Long-term plans cannot address the service’s immediate problems. Short-term management-driven interventions are key to stopping the NHS from crumbling before reform can have an impact, writes Steve Black
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Deciding what NOT to fix will be the biggest challenge for the 10 year plan
To fix all the problems Lord Ara Darzi has identified, the NHS needs to prioritise three to four goals at a time, writes Steve Black
Daily InsightThe mythbuster: Lansley’s original sin
The Lansley reforms failed primarily due to severe cuts in NHS management capacity, as highlighted by Darzi, overshadowing any potential benefits of the original restructuring philosophy, writes Steve Black
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The mythbuster: Health screening is a suspect policy
The evidence says many screening programmes are actively detrimental, while others are a waste of money writes Steve Black
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The mythbuster: The Blair Institute’s faith in AI is a distraction
The Tony Blair Institute’s report on NHS AI integration overemphasises AI’s potential while neglecting practical solutions for NHS data improvement
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The mythbuster: How the NHS gets productivity wrong
Real efficiency gains come from improving the overall mix of resources, not just increasing the number of clinical staff
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The mythbuster: What the death of 400 squirrels can teach the NHS about accountability
Blaming people for problems without giving them the power to fix them creates a significant gap in meaningful accountability, writes Steve Black
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The mythbuster: The NHS does not know how to plan
Steve Black highlights how the NHS struggles with effective planning, often producing unrealistic or uncoordinated plans that fail to achieve their intended goals.
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The mythbuster: The argument for abolishing the CQC
Steve Black argues the Care Quality Commission needs radical reform or even abolition because of its flawed approach to inspections and lack of expertise
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The mythbuster: The idea that AI can solve major NHS problems is marketing snake oil
Despite claims that AI can solve NHS problems, we need to be sceptical of overblown promises and invest wisely in proven solutions, writes Steve Black
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The mythbuster: What should Darzi do?
Steve Black highlights the need for Lord Ara Darzi’s review of NHS performance to focus on diagnosing systemic issues through comprehensive evidence gathering, rather than jumping to premature solutions.
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The mythbuster: Is bringing back PFI a necessary evil?
Steve Black believes the PFI was a flawed approach to securing capital investment for the NHS, but suggests its revival might - nevertheless - be welcome.
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The mythbuster: Why the NHS is beset with bad decision making
The NHS must prioritise thorough policy testing, address root causes over symptoms, and consider long-term impacts for sustainable improvement says Steve Black
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The mythbuster: The three things that matter more than increased NHS funding
Steve Black outlines three policy areas that are more important to improving NHS performance than increasing the service’s budget.
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The mythbuster: Streeting sees the light on emergency care
Labour’s manifesto priorities overlook emergency care. Thank heaven then that Wes Streeting has committed to recovering A&E performance, writes Steve Black