¹Department of Health, UK

Correspondence: G Royston, South View, Copgrove Road, Burton Leonard, Harrogate, HG3 3SJ, UK. E-mail: geoff.royston@btinternet.com

This paper is based on a keynote talk given by the author at the OR 50 Conference in York in September 2008.

Received December 2008; Accepted January 2009.

Abstract

This paper presents a personal view, drawing on some 30 years of working in this area, of past, present and future contributions of operational research (OR) in health in the UK. It considers developments in health and care and in OR contributions to these at local and national level since the creation of the National Health Service 60 years ago; likely future developments in health and care; and associated priorities for preparing now for OR to make a major impact on health and care in the next 40 years. The aim is to stimulate reflective thinking and promote anticipatory action among health OR practitioners of the future.