Top-level health economics conference at Aberdeen University

The University of Aberdeen Health will next week host a top-level health economics conference at which chief executives and senior decision makers from the National Health Service (NHS) will gather to discuss issues around health economics and the NHS in Scotland.

Hugh Henry MSP, Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care will introduce the conference at the King's College Conference Centre on Monday April 29th, 2002. The event has been organised to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the University of Aberdeen's Health Economics Research Unit (HERU).

Several distinguished international speakers will be attending including Professor Bob Elliot (Director of HERU), Professor Roland Jung (Chief Scientist, Scottish Executive Health Directorate), Professor Alan Maynard (University of York), Professor Gavin Mooney (Curtin University, Australia).

Professor Bob Elliott said: "The conference will provide a forum from which some of the work being undertaken by HERU can be showcased. Topics to be covered during the day include the valuation of benefits, one of the biggest challenges facing health economists. A presentation will be given of the potential uses of discrete choice experiments (DCE), a new method of benefit assessment which is being developed within the Unit. Scottish data will be used from the medical and nursing workforce to examine the main trends and changes in the workforce and to illustrate important issues, including the use of data to predict the future demand and supply of doctors and nurses in Scotland."