Decisions on outlier handling

This page lists decisions made by the NCIN's Outlier Advisory Groupon whether or not outlier handling is required for specific analyses. Analyses very similar to those that have already been considered should follow the established precedent.

Analysis Level of publication Clinical Impact Degree of control over outcome Initial assessment Decision of Outlier Advisory Group
30-day post operative mortality following surgery for colorectal cancer Trust and cancer network High High  Outlier handling required Full outlier handling process followed.
Rates of resection for liver metastases within three years of surgery for colorectal cancer Trust High High Outlier handling required Full outlier handling process followed, subsequent notification of outlier trusts when updated data published in service profiles.
Ovarian cancer survival Cancer network  High Medium Outlier handling may be required Notification to outlier networks with details of trust level analysis prior to publication.

Service profiles      
Colorectal cancer service profiles Multidisciplinary team Various Various Outlier handling may be required for some indicators Outlier handling is only relevant for casemix adjusted indicators. Notification at the time of publication to outlier teams is required for indicator showing rates of resection for liver metastases within three years of surgery for colorectal cancer. One-year survival indicator agreed to require outlier handling if included and 30-day post-operative mortality indicator if results not already published.
Breast cancer service profiles Multidisciplinary team Various Various Outlier handling may be required for some indicators No specific outlier handling is required for the current indicators.