Title: The cost of health and social care services
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Background Knowing the cost of health and social care services is crucial for making decisions about what support is provided to those who need help and the allocation of scarce resources. PSSRU has been producing cost estimates for the delivery of care services for 29 years. Aims The aim is to provide unit cost estimates for the delivery of health and social care services. Four objectives support this aim: To produce, publish and present information about costs (and how to use them), including an annual volume of the Unit Costs of Health and Social Care. To explore new ways of enhancing what we offer through the annual Unit Cost publication, alongside reflecting on new services and support to be covered (e.g. the move to integrated care systems). To ensure the suitability of costing methodologies and the potential for methodological development. To involve users of our cost estimates and the public fully in the research programme to ensure that their views inform the design, the direction and content, particularly to ensure that outputs are easily available and accessible. Methods Five work packages will support the annual publication of cost estimates in the Unit Cost of Health and Social Care volume. Work package 1 includes a number of reviews to ensure the unit cost estimates are using the up-to-date information and data. This work will involve users of unit costs and stakeholders. Work package 2 focuses on engaging with users of unit cost information and stakeholders to explore what and how unit cost outputs might be developed. The engagement will inform a unit cost adjuster for stakeholders to use. Work package 3 ensures suitability of costing methodologies and the potential for methodological development. An exploratory study will be conducted to explore the use of secondary data to inform our cost estimates. Work package 4 involves the engagement with stakeholders, users of unit costs and the public that ensures the outputs are clearly documented, easily available and accessible. An evaluation will be developed to explore the impact of: engaging with users and the public our work with different stakeholders for care recipient benefit. Work package 5 will draw on the work of work packages 1 - 4 to produce cost estimates in the annual Unit Costs of Health and Social Care volume. Anticipated Impact and Dissemination The project will provide decision-makers and other users with cost estimates that are underpinned by three principles: 1) provision of robust, consistent estimates of costs &ndash; founded on economic theory reflecting the long-run marginal opportunity cost of a service; 2) comprehensive coverage of available health and care services, reflective of new service/support developments; and 3) an accessible presentation of cost estimates. The Unit Costs of Health and Social Care volume will be published online each December, alongside a lay summary, a flyer and an infographic highlighting the content. Other social-media outlets will be used to increase impact and outreach.

Lay abstract: Knowing the cost of health and social care services plays an important role in informing what support is provided to those who need help. The information also helps health and care providers plan for the future of their services. Why is this important? The cost of services affects choices about health and social care and about how best to spend limited care budgets. Using consistent cost information is important for decision-makers in health and social care and for research. What we will do? We will build on our successful approach and long experience to produce, publish and present information about costs, including an annual volume of the Unit Costs of Health and Social Care. The aim is to ensure the results are up-to-date, comprehensive, responsive and relevant to those who use them. There are five work packages. Work package 1: Review and scope Review developments in the health and social care sectors (e.g. new services) to ensure our cost estimations are up to date and still relevant. We will seek to identify potential new datasets for the cost estimates. Work package 2: Enhancing what we offer Work with users of cost information to explore how to best produce and publish this information in a useful form. Work package 3: Costing approach Explore whether we can improve on the way we calculate costs, what data we use, and how we report the information. For example, we will explore available datasets to inform how care costs change across different regions. Work package 4: Engagement with users and the public Involve users of our cost estimates and the public in the research programme to ensure that their views inform the design, direction, and content. Activities will include stakeholder workshops to help understand how people use unit costs in practice. Work package 5: Annual volume of the Unit Costs of Health and Social Care Produce the cost estimations and the published volume, drawing on the four work packages above. User and carer involvement The plain English summary has been reviewed by two members of the lay review panel from the NIHR Research Design Service and amendments made. Two members of the Public Involvement Research Advisor Network at the University of Kent who have care experience will join our advisory group, alongside health and social care professionals. The advisory group will help design the programme. Promoting findings The annual Unit Costs of Health and Social Care volume will be published in December, alongside a lay summary. An online event will be organised at the time of publication for users of the cost information to ask questions and the team to respond. We will also produce online presentations on the cost information.

Research activity codes: 8.2 HEALTH AND WELFARE ECONOMICS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE