NHS oncology prescribing is driven by local provider decisions, and this sub-national variation is the primary challenge the pharmaceutical industry faces when analysing oncology data and shaping brand strategy in the UK.

Understanding this landscape requires more than a single lens; it demands a multi-layered view of providers, geography, robust data and an appreciation of the many other factors that influence prescribing decisions at a local level.

During HSJ’s recent “Oncology in the NHS” webinar, our SSD Solutions Director, Chris James, discussed the complexities involved in analysing prescribing data and explained how HSJ has been working with industry partners to navigate the challenges of oncology prescribing.

Three critical themes were highlighted:

• Sub-nationally driven national trends: why national oncology trends must be analysed from the ground up
• Sub-national variation: how accurate segmentation highlights significant regional and provider differences in prescribing behaviour
• Dynamic market analysis: why static data is no longer enough to achieve true visibility

To help explore these themes further, we will be sharing four key sections from Chris’ talk over the coming weeks, covering the following areas:

• National market share
• Sub-national variation in prescribing
• Sub-national dynamic variation in prescribing
• Trust-level variation in prescribing

In the first clip, Chris explains how analysing data at a national level can quickly reveal evidence of sub-national variation and identify where deeper analysis is required.

1) National Market Share Perspective

In this clip, our SSD Solutions Director, Chris James, breaks down a national-level example beginning to demonstrate how to identify these sub-national variations.