Benchmarking in the UK National Health Service.

Traces the development of benchmarking in a number of UK National Health Service trusts, highlighting practical processes and the benefits of benchmarking but also identifying common pitfalls and ways of handling them when they arise or, better still, anticipating them. Several examples of successful benchmarking initiatives are given, emphasizing the advantages of using a systematic benchmarking approach, using benchmarking clubs and the need to develop ad hoc performance measures. Concludes by emphasizing the need for a new commitment to continuous improvement by senior managers to avoid the failures of previous drives for improvement.