Use of OR by government to inform health policy in England: Examples and reflections

Operational Research (OR) analysts work alongside other specialists in providing policy analysis for the Department of Health in England. This paper outlines the roles played by OR analysis, taking three different areas of policy for illustration, with examples drawn from projects related to health service operation, health protection and health promotion. In addition to the provision of technical modelling skills, the contributions that OR analysts make to the processes of problem formulation and evidence synthesis are discussed. The paper concludes with some general reflections on what makes for successful OR in this context and on the challenges and opportunities faced by OR in informing health policy over the coming years.