News
Keep up-to-date with the latest NHS Benchmarking Network developments and news!
On this page you will find NHSBN wide and member programme news. For news from our other programmes, please follow the links below:
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Below are our latest NHSBN wide newsletters. To join our mailing list, please contact us.
Global Metrics, Local Impact: The International Mental Health Benchmarking Project
The International Mental Health Benchmarking Project is setting a new standard for how mental health services are measured, compared, and improved globally.
The International Mental Health Benchmarking Project is setting a new standard for how mental health services are measured, compared, and improved globally. Led by the NHS Benchmarking Network, this ground-breaking initiative brings together data from participating countries worldwide to create a shared understanding of what high-quality mental health care looks like, no matter where it's delivered.
What does the project involve?
Comprehensive benchmarking across inpatient, community, and crisis mental health services
Global collaboration with health systems from Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania
Key metrics on access, workforce, outcomes, and service models
Actionable insights to inform policy, planning, and service transformation
Why It Matters?
Mental health systems vary widely across the world—but the challenges are shared. The project provides a unique opportunity to learn from international best practices, identify gaps, and accelerate improvements in care. Whether you're a clinician, commissioner, or policymaker, this project offers the data you need to drive change.
Next Steps
The latest round of data collection will be beginning in October 2025, with the development of the data collection template currently underway. Participants will gain access to bespoke outputs, peer learning sessions, and tailored support to interpret and apply findings locally.
If you'd like to find out more about this project, please reach out to the project team at nhsbn.international@nhs.net
Transforming Children and Young People’s Community Services - A Review of Community Paediatric Services in England Report Released!
We are pleased to release the overview report and summary findings for Transforming Children and Young People’s Community Services - A Review of Community Paediatric Services in England.
We are pleased to release the overview report and summary findings for Transforming Children and Young People’s Community Services - A Review of Community Paediatric Services in England.
NHS England commissioned the team at the NHS Benchmarking Network (the Network) to deliver a benchmarking review of community paediatric services across England, as it is known that children and families across England are facing long waits and inconsistent access to community paediatric services. This report shows the findings from the collection, with some comparisons to 2022, when community paediatrics was last benchmarked by the Network.
This review of community paediatric services in England paints a clear picture of a sector under pressure, with children and families facing long waits and significant variation in service delivery. As demand continues to rise delivering services for complex and high-volume caseloads, workforce levels are stretched. As with service models, workforce models vary between services. The findings indicate that action is needed to ensure that every child and young person can access timely, high-quality care when they need it most.
The data collection exercise and metrics collected were designed in conjunction with a clinical advisory group made up of a range of colleagues working in or with community paediatrics, many thanks to colleagues for supporting the delivery of this project. Thank you as well to all the organisations that took part in the data collection, enabling an examination of community paediatric services.
For participants of the data collection the full selection of metrics can be found on the online toolkit.
NHS Benchmarking Network Welcomes Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust as New Host Organisation
We are delighted to announce Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) as our new host organisation.
Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust’s belief that people are better looked after locally aligns closely with our mission to support improvement and share best practice across the NHS.
We are delighted to announce Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) as our new host organisation.
Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust’s belief that people are better looked after locally aligns closely with our mission to support improvement and share best practice across the NHS.
As the UK’s first standalone NHS Community Trust to achieve a CQC ‘Outstanding’ rating, NCH&C has demonstrated an exceptional track record of compassionate, patient-centred care and innovation.
With services spanning seven community hospitals, GP surgeries, and patients’ own homes, the Trust’s commitment to community, collaboration, and continuous improvement makes them an ideal partner to support our work across the health and care system.
We very much look forward to this new partnership and the opportunities it will bring!
“We are delighted to welcome Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust as the new Host organisation for the network. In addition to having the skills and capabilities to host the network well they already make great use of benchmarking and therefore can serve as a great champion, example and support to others. Thank you also to our outgoing host East London NHS Foundation Trust for a decade of hosting support.”
If you have any questions regarding this transition, please check out our FAQs below or reach out to us.
FAQs
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There will be no disruption or change to the current service and experience. Moving forward, invoices will be issued by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust. Members will receive instructions to set up the Trust as a supplier ahead of the next membership year.
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Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust officially took over as host on 8th August 2025.
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Yes, the NHSBN Support Team will remain the same.
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All current processes and policies remain. Norfolk Community Health & Care Trust will replace East London Foundation Trust as the data controller.
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If you have any questions, please contact enquiry@nhsbenchmarking.nhs.uk.
Annual General Meeting Review
The NHS Benchmarking Network's 2025 Annual General Meeting took place virtually on Monday 16th June, providing a comprehensive overview of the Network’s progress and future direction.
The NHS Benchmarking Network's 2025 Annual General Meeting took place virtually on Monday 16th June, providing a comprehensive overview of the Network’s progress and future direction. NHS Benchmarking Network Steering Group Chair, Sam Wilde, Chief Finance Officer,
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust welcomed attendees and highlighted the organisation’s core values - Excellence, Respect, and Integrity - alongside updates on leadership changes and ongoing recruitment for a Home Nations Steering Group representative.
Emma Bamber, Associate Director - Member Programme, presented the 2024/25 work programme, showcasing strong member engagement with nearly 900,000 data points collected and 197 member organisations participating. Priorities for the upcoming year include enhancing productivity, addressing health inequalities, and leveraging technology for benchmarking and data validation.
A significant development was the announcement of Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust as the new host organisation, taking over from East London NHS Foundation Trust.
Thank you to East London NHS Foundation Trust for their contributions that have been instrumental in advancing out projects and supporting stakeholders.
The meeting concluded with a presentation from Kevin Fisher, Head of Business Intelligence & Reporting, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust on the practical application of benchmarking to improve patient outcomes, underlining the value of data-driven improvement in health care delivery.
Thank you to all our members that were able to attend. For those unable to make it live the recording is available on the members’ area.
Whole Business Team Day Focuses on Customers and Collaboration
The NHS Benchmarking Network held a whole business team day on 10th June, bringing the full team together for a productive and energising session focused on development and team collaboration.
The NHS Benchmarking Network held a whole business team day on 10th June, bringing the full team together for a productive and energising session focused on development and team collaboration.
The day began with a business update, providing colleagues with a comprehensive overview of NHSBN’s current progress and future direction.
Understanding our Customers with The Foundation
We were delighted to welcome The Foundation, a consultancy that helps organisations understand and connect with their customers. The thought-provoking session explored how we define our customers and how we can map their decision-making journeys. Through discussions, the session encouraged us to reflect on who our customers are, how they engage with our services, and how we can better meet their needs.
Lego Building Masters
To inject energy and creativity into the day, EML Team Building led a fun and challenging Lego Master Builders activity. This exercise challenged our problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills in a unique and light-hearted way. It offered a great opportunity for cross-team engagement and reminded us of the power of teamwork.
The day was a great opportunity to pause and align around our shared goals and purpose. Thank you to The Foundation and EML Team Building for supporting a dynamic and inspiring session.
NHS Benchmarking Network Announces Change of Network Host
The NHS Benchmarking Network is pleased to announce that Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) will become our new Network host, taking over from East London NHS Foundation Trust…
The NHS Benchmarking Network is pleased to announce that Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) will become our new Network Host, taking over from East London NHS Foundation Trust. This transition was formally announced at our AGM yesterday.
We would like to express our thanks to East London NHS Foundation Trust for their exceptional support and partnership during their tenure as our Host. Their contributions have been instrumental in advancing our projects and supporting our stakeholders.
Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust will officially take on the role as our Network Host in August 2025. This transition marks an exciting new chapter for the Network as we continue to grow and evolve, further enhancing our benchmarking capabilities and expanding our support for members. Keep an eye out for future news introducing Norfolk Community Health and Care Trust, providing insights into their role and vision for the Network moving forward.
We look forward to this new partnership and the opportunities it will bring.
If you have any questions regarding this transition, please check out our FAQs below or reach out to us.
FAQs
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There will be no disruption or change to the current service and experience. Moving forward, invoices will be issued by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust. Members will receive instructions to set up the Trust as a supplier ahead of the next membership year.
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Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust will officially take over as host on 8th August 2025.
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Yes, the NHSBN Support Team will remain the same.
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All current processes and policies remain. Norfolk Community Health & Care Trust will replace East London Foundation Trust as the data controller.
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If you have any questions, please contact enquiry@nhsbenchmarking.nhs.uk.
NACEL Celebrated in National Awards!
The National Audit for Care at the End of Life (NACEL) is in the spotlight this week, as part of a national campaign to underline the importance of clinical audit in improving patient care. The audit has been announced as a joint winner in the Communicating for Impact category of the Clinical Audit Heroes awards, an integral part of Clinical Audit Awareness Week.
The National Audit for Care at the End of Life (NACEL) is in the spotlight this week, as part of a national campaign to underline the importance of clinical audit in improving patient care. The audit has been announced as a joint winner in the Communicating for Impact category of the Clinical Audit Heroes awards, an integral part of Clinical Audit Awareness Week.
We are delighted to be awarded this Clinical Audit Heroes commendation, which recognises the range of innovative communication methods used to demonstrate the audit’s impact. By taking an evidence-informed approach to improvement, clinical audits help to target change where it will have the greatest impact. We recognise the hard work of staff in the Trusts and Health Boards who contribute to NACEL to make it such a valuable source of data to inform improvement work. To read more about the impact that NACEL has at a local level, take a look at our Impact Compendium
Clinical Audit Awareness Week is hosted by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) in collaboration with the quality improvement network N-QI-CAN, and has run this year from 2nd-6th June. It is designed to celebrate the role of clinical audit and quality improvement in improving healthcare services.
More specifically, clinical audits review and measure healthcare, often in relation to local and national standards and targets. They are an effective way to determine if services are performing as they should and, if not, identify where changes are needed. They also help healthcare providers and patients alike to understand how their service is performing, and where improvements would have the greatest impact. As such, the work of clinical audit teams is essential, both as drivers of improvement in their own organisations and in supporting scrutiny of our health system at a national level.
“Without clinical audit, we would lack the necessary insights to understand what is working well and, crucially, what is not. By measuring our healthcare services and tracking the differences that improvement activities make, clinical audits support us to maximise resources, and so contribute to saving and improving patients’ lives.”
For more information on the national clinical audits that are commissioned by HQIP on behalf of the NHS, go to www.hqip.org.uk/national-programmes.To see the findings from this work, view the reports published on a wide range of clinical disciplines, ranging from asthma and diabetes to cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Find out more about Clinical Audit Awareness Week and the Clinical Audit Heroes awards on the HQIP website. You can also join in the celebrations on social media using #CAAW25.
Sarah Atkinson to step back from Director role at NHS Benchmarking Network
We would like to share that Sarah Atkinson will be stepping back from her role as Director of the NHS Benchmarking Network. Sarah will continue to support the team in an advisory capacity while also taking the opportunity to enjoy more precious time with her family.
We would like to announce that Sarah Atkinson will be stepping back from her role as Director of the NHS Benchmarking Network. Sarah will continue to support the team in an ambassador role, thus gaining some precious time to spend with her family.
Since joining NHSBN in 2020, Sarah has played a pivotal role in shaping and advancing our benchmarking programmes, driving improvements across health and care services, and strengthening collaborations. Sarah’s leadership and vision have had a lasting impact on the organisation and our members, participants, and stakeholders. A big part of this has been developing a talented team, who led by the Senior Leadership Team, remains committed to delivering high-quality programmes of work and maximising the impact the Network has.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Sarah for her dedication and continued contribution.