Scottish Atlas of Variation Surgical Procedures dashboard: Survey insights on the latest Atlas maps

Research Methodology

The survey consisted of 28 closed and open-ended questions, some of which included routing. Quotations from the survey responses are used to illustrate the findings discussed in the report.

A snowball sampling method was used to circulate the survey invite. Members of governance groups linked to Realistic Medicine, specifically the Realistic Medicine Network and the Scottish Atlas of Variation Oversight Group were asked to share the survey link with relevant professionals in their networks. NHS Board representatives from Orthopaedics and Ophthalmology (via CfSD Specialty Delivery Groups) and Dentistry (via NHS Directors of Dentistry) helped to cascade the invitation to colleagues within their specialties via letters from the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) and the Chief Dental Officer (CDO) who encouraged participation. This method was chosen to ensure the link reached appropriate professionals in a timely way while maintaining anonymity for respondents.

The approach aimed to reach a cross-section of professionals who would be the target audience of the Atlas data for the PDE and HKC maps, which included both clinical and non-clinical staff. The survey was shared with two groups at different times: Orthopaedics and Ophthalmology professionals for the HKC maps (13 March–1 April 2025) and Dentistry professions for the PDE maps (24 June–14 July 2025). A total of 64 responses were received: 24 from the former group and 40 from the latter.

Limitations of this sampling approach are acknowledged. The distribution relied on representatives cascading the invite within their networks, meaning there was no mechanism to track the exact number of recipients. This makes it difficult to calculate a response rate, assess potential non-response bias, selection bias or sample representativeness.

This summary report presents combined findings from both groups of respondents, with key differences between the groups highlighted where relevant. The survey asked respondents for their specific role and associated Health Board, but these variables have not been included in the analysis presented in this report due to the low volume of response, nonetheless it should be noted that most respondents were clinical staff.