NHS Input and Productivity Growth 2003/4 - 2007/8

Productivity growth is measured by comparing the rate of output growth with the rate of input growth. In an earlier report we calculated output growth in the English NHS for the period 2003/4 to 2006/7 (Castelli et al., 2008). This report concentrates on input growth, detailing methods and calculating growth from 2003/4 to 2007/8. The output of the health service is produced using factors of production which can be categorised into three main types: labour, intermediate inputs and capital. We use a variety of data sources to estimate growth in these input factors and present results separately for each major input category and according to organisational type – hospital, foundation and ambulance trusts, PCTs and the NHS as a whole.