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Prof M Suhrcke, Prof M Hviid
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
This is an exciting and unique opportunity to undertake a full-time PhD in the joint disciplines of Health Economics and Competition Policy/Industrial Economics. The successful applicant will be based within both the Health Economics Group and the ESRC funded, Centre for Competition Policy (CCP), both at UEA, Norwich. The studentship is offered in the highly topical field of ‘Competition issues in the NHS’.
An ageing population and rapid technological change have led to an ever increasing burden on the NHS budget. More recently, the global economic crisis has also added to this pressure. A policy aimed at relieving budgetary pressure and inducing greater quality through introduction of competition into the NHS, has become a reality in England following enactment of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (HSCA 2012). Whilst U.S policy has always relied on consumer choice to drive quality, this is relatively new to the UK.
The application of competition theory to the healthcare sector in the UK is relatively new and under-researched. Healthcare markets are complicated due to the unique organisational context, information asymmetries and multiple decision makers. As such, research in this area requires expertise from both Industrial and Health Economics.
Under the guidance of the supervision team, the student will be able to develop their chosen topic within the general field of ‘competition issues in the NHS’. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
• Equity and access, such as whether the introduction of competition into the NHS has led to inequity in the form of quality differences by provider/region, post code lottery scenarios and so on.
• What is the impact of NHS competition on health outcomes (overall and between socioeconomic groups)
• The evolution of competition in the NHS - at an organisational level.
• Procurement under recent NHS reforms. Has the introduction of recent policies led to hardening or softening of competition amongst suppliers of healthcare to the NHS?
The successful applicant will be encouraged to undertake their own empirical and/or theoretical analysis within their chosen topic and will also be offered the opportunity for further study depending on their previous experience. In addition, they will have the benefits of being an active member of two academic units at the University, including attendance at workshops and seminars throughout the year. There may also be the opportunity for a summer placement.
An ageing population and rapid technological change have led to an ever increasing burden on the NHS budget. More recently, the global economic crisis has also added to this pressure. A policy aimed at relieving budgetary pressure and inducing greater quality through introduction of competition into the NHS, has become a reality in England following enactment of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (HSCA 2012). Whilst U.S policy has always relied on consumer choice to drive quality, this is relatively new to the UK.
The application of competition theory to the healthcare sector in the UK is relatively new and under-researched. Healthcare markets are complicated due to the unique organisational context, information asymmetries and multiple decision makers. As such, research in this area requires expertise from both Industrial and Health Economics.
Under the guidance of the supervision team, the student will be able to develop their chosen topic within the general field of ‘competition issues in the NHS’. Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
• Equity and access, such as whether the introduction of competition into the NHS has led to inequity in the form of quality differences by provider/region, post code lottery scenarios and so on.
• What is the impact of NHS competition on health outcomes (overall and between socioeconomic groups)
• The evolution of competition in the NHS - at an organisational level.
• Procurement under recent NHS reforms. Has the introduction of recent policies led to hardening or softening of competition amongst suppliers of healthcare to the NHS?
The successful applicant will be encouraged to undertake their own empirical and/or theoretical analysis within their chosen topic and will also be offered the opportunity for further study depending on their previous experience. In addition, they will have the benefits of being an active member of two academic units at the University, including attendance at workshops and seminars throughout the year. There may also be the opportunity for a summer placement.
Funding Notes
Full Funding is available for Home/EU students, covering fees and an annual stipend of £13,726 for three years. Applications are also accepted from non-EU applicants who are able to pay the difference in international fees.
