Operational research and the reform of the U.K. health service

The U.K. Government’s review of the health service: ‘Working for Patients’ was published recently. The Department of Health’s Operational Research Service has been involved in the work to inform and to implement the review proposals. Four key ‘views’ of the reform: tasks, resources, planning and development were used by the Operational Research OR group in selecting its portfolio of such work. These ‘views’ are described, and examples of work in each such frame of view are given.