Value Based Health and Care action plan - measurement framework: technical report

4. Previously unpublished activity and usage data

Previously unpublished activity and usage data account for 14 monitoring metrics within the framework. They provide quantitative evidence of reach, adoption and engagement with programmes, services, pathways, initiatives and digital resources that support the delivery of Realistic Medicine and VBH&C. The majority of the previously unpublished data sources (10 of 14) are categorised as ‘usage data’, derived from Google Analytics data on the number of visits or views to webpages hosting online resources.

Most usage data was extracted for a 12‑month period, based on either the calendar year or the financial year. These data offer in indication of implementation and uptake of their respective resources, and provide a baseline against which progress can be assessed over time. It is relevant to note that increased page access does not necessarily reflect improvement in practice or outcomes.

The background information for these data and the time periods they cover are detailed below:

Metric 1.1 detail: Total learner completions across four Value Based Health and Care TURAS e-modules

Background: E-modules include:

• Finance and Value Based Health and Care Toolkit
• Introduction to Value Based Health and Care
• Managing Risk
• Shared Decision Making

Resources are hosted by and data provided by NHS Education for Scotland.

Finding: Across four Value Based Health and Care TURAS e-modules there were 2,146 learner completions between January and December 2025.

Metric 1.2 detail: Total number of times Sway resources were accessed

Background: ‘Sways’ are online learning resources. These include:

• VBH&C: Outcomes that matter to people
• VBH&C for Social care
• Shared Decision Making
• How to measure SDM
• Unwarranted variation

Resources are hosted by and data provided by NHS Education for Scotland.

Finding: The 5 Realistic Medicine Sway resources were accessed 15,774 times between January and December 2025.

Metric 1.4 detail: Total number of times animations were accessed

Background: Realistic Medicine | Turas | Learn animations are hosted by and data provided by NHS Education for Scotland.

Finding: The 8 Realistic Medicine Animations were accessed 2,655 times between January and December 2025.

Metric 1.6 detail: Total user visits to the TURAS Learning Pages

Background: Realistic Medicine | Turas | Learn resources are hosted by and data provided by NHS Education for Scotland.

Finding: The Realistic Medicine TURAS learning pages were viewed 23,858 times between January and December 2025.

Metric 3.4 detail: Number of individuals enrolled in Connect Me in 2025.

Background: Connect Me is managed by and data provided by the National Virtual Consultation Service.

Finding: 27,643 individuals were enrolled (recruitment) for Connect Me between January and December 2025.

Metric 7.1 detail: Interaction (total page views) with Demand Optimisation webpage.

Background: The DO Atlas is a set of dashboards that visualise variation in diagnostic test to identify over‑, under‑ and unwarranted variation. The DO Atlas is managed by and data provided by Public Health Scotland.

Finding: The Demand Optimisation Atlas was accessed 808 times during the 4-month period between its launch on 30/09/25 and 27/1/26.

Metric 10.4 detail: Percentage of Content Reviewed on NHS Inform.

Background: The content reviewed is checked by experts on a structured three-year cycle, with additional updates made when feedback or new evidence requires it. Data provided by NHS Inform.

Finding: 38% of content reviewed on NHS inform against target of 33% between January and December 2025.

Metric 10.5 detail: Percentage of NHS Inform Clinical content governed by Subject Matter Experts.

Background: NHS Inform clinical content verified by subject‑matter experts, showing how much information is confirmed as accurate and up to date. Data provided by NHS Inform.

Finding: 87% of NHS Inform clinical content was governed by subject matter experts between January and December 2025 (remainder governed internally by NHS 24).

Metric 10.6 detail: Total user visits to NHS inform webpages.

Background: Frequency of users’ access to Scotland’s national health information service. Data provided by NHS Inform.

Finding: NHS Inform webpages were viewed 29,849,995 times resulting in 39,429,563 page views between January and December 2025.

Metric 10.7 detail: Total user visits to Right Decision Service webpages.

Background: The Right Decision Service (RDS) is Scotland’s national digital decision‑support platform enabling consistent, safe, person‑centred care decisions. The RDS is managed by and data provided by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

Finding: Right Decision Service webpages have been viewed 11,325,817 times between January and December 2025.

Metric 10.8 detail: Total user visits to Professional-facing RM website and mobile App.

Background: The professional facing RM website and mobile app provides health and care staff in Scotland with tools and guidance to support Realistic Medicine in practice. These resources are managed by and data provided by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

Finding: Professional-facing Realistic Medicine website and mobile App have been viewed 15,395 times between January and December 2025.

Metric 10.9 detail: Total user visits to Citizen-facing RM website and mobile App. Background: The citizen facing RM website and mobile app provides health and care staff in Scotland with tools and guidance to support Realistic Medicine in practice. These resources are managed by and data provided by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

Finding: Citizen-facing Realistic Medicine (‘Being a partner in my care’) website and mobile App have been viewed 8,497 times between January and December 2025.

Metric 11.6 detail: Total number of procedures across five interventions identified as low or limited clinical value.

Background: These procedures fall under the National Referral Protocol which contains a series of procedures where evidence suggests that there is less clinical benefit and as such, they must not be routinely offered by NHS Scotland. Data is managed and provided by Public Health Scotland.

Finding: The number of procedures carried out during between April 2024 and March 2025 for the following National Referral Protocol procedures:

• Benign skin lesions – 5,239
• Breast surgery – 1,128
• Ganglion – 508
• Rhinoplasty – 123
• Varicose veins – 1,107

Metric 12.11 detail: Interaction with effective prescribing resources (total views).

Background: These resources support safe, person‑centred and evidence‑based prescribing across Scotland through practical improvement guides and toolkits. These resources were produced by and data provided by Scottish Government (Directorate: Health and Social Care).

Finding: Interaction with effective prescribing resources (total views between April 2024 and Mar 2025):

• Diabetes Quality Prescribing Guide - 2,351
• Respiratory Quality Prescribing Guide - 2,904
• Antidepressant Quality Prescribing Guide - 1,863
• Benzodiazepine and Z-drug Quality Prescribing Guide - 1,127
• Achieving Value and Sustainability in Prescribing Guidance – 1,022
• Right Decision Service Diabetes toolkit - 9,905
• Right Decision Service Respiratory toolkit - 14,685
• Right Decision Service Polypharmacy toolkit - 89,601
• Right Decision Service ‘Manage My Meds’ toolkit - 10,644