Month: December 2023

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Addressing the challenges impeding patient flow at the Patient Flow Conference 2024

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We are excited to announce that we will be speaking at The Patient Flow Conference North 2024. In attendance from NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU will be, Justine Howe, Head of Urgent Care and Samantha Singh, Clinical Lead who will will be delivering a talk titled: Flowing together unblocking flow: Navigating Challenges in NHS Efficiency for Healthier Minds.

This serves as a pivotal platform for NHS urgent care leaders to collectively address the challenges impeding efficient patient flow within the healthcare system. With increasing patient footfall and complexity, balancing urgent and emergency care demands while ensuring streamlined access to care remains a critical challenge.

Amidst the current challenges within the healthcare system, this conference assumes utmost importance in strategising and optimising patient flow dynamics. It provides a timely opportunity for urgent care leaders to converge and deliberate on transformative solutions crucial for enhancing patient care delivery and resource utilisation efficiency.

Key subjects at the conference will cover:

– Development of streamlined processes for expedited patient admission, treatment, and discharge to ensure a seamless and efficient patient journey.

– Utilisation of innovative technologies such as AI-driven scheduling systems, telemedicine, and data analytics to optimise patient flow and alleviate pressures within the healthcare system.

– Implementation of comprehensive care coordination strategies facilitating smooth transitions across various healthcare settings, thereby enhancing patient flow and reducing hospitalisation requirements.

– Emphasis on preventive care initiatives and population health management strategies aimed at reducing the strain on healthcare resources and fostering a healthier populace.

The Patient Flow Conference North 2024 provides an indispensable opportunity for healthcare professionals to actively participate in revolutionising patient flow within the NHS.

Conference details:

– Date and location: 8 February 2024
– Venue: etc venues Manchester
– Event timing: 9am

Register now to be a part of this vital dialogue.

https://www.convenzis.co.uk/events/the-patient-flow-conference-north-2024

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Improving workforce sustainability at a NHS foundation trust

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We implemented a dynamic 5-year integrated workforce plan at an NHS foundation trust, resulting in a clear prioritised plan of action to achieve a strategically aligned and sustainable workforce that is well-equipped to anticipate and fulfil future healthcare needs.

Background

The trust, a leader in its field within Europe, identified the need for a strategic approach to address workforce challenges. To build a sustainable workforce for both the present and the future, the trust commissioned NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU to develop a 5-year integrated workforce plan. The objectives were clear: create a strategic workforce plan, enhance workforce planning within the continuous business planning process, and empower the staff with workforce planning skills.

Action

A comprehensive action plan was developed, informed through a critical audit by KPMG, which pinpointed areas for improvement in workforce planning.

The action steps included:

  1. Workforce plan development: crafting a 5-year workforce plan to assess the current workforce, project future demand, and identify gaps. Enhancing the workforce planning element within the Trust’s annual business planning process.

2. Training and capability building: implementing a training program for workforce planning, aimed at managers and clinicians, using a train-the-trainer model to cultivate workforce planning champions.

3. Engagement and analysis: engaging stakeholders through targeted meetings to gather insights on workforce strengths and challenges. Analysing workforce data to create a narrative around staffing gaps and challenges. Applying a national supply model to forecast workforce growth and identify supply routes.

4. Strategic initiatives: integrating workforce considerations into the trust’s annual business planning. Planning for international recruitment and developing strategies for clinical roles and apprenticeships. Conducting reviews of team capacities, vacancies, and turnover rates to inform talent management.

Impact

The trust board’s approval of the workforce plan set into motion a series of strategic initiatives designed to build a robust workforce pipeline. This included a focus on areas of risk such as the nursing workforce and the operational facets of services like theatres.

Key impacts were:

– A responsive and live workforce plan aligned with the trust’s strategic business planning and estate strategy.

– A workforce development strategy focused on international recruitment, role expansions, and maximising apprenticeship programs.

– Planning the next phase of deep-dive workforce planning for critical services, underpinned by process mapping and skills analysis.

The trust’s forward-thinking approach has established a blueprint for addressing workforce challenges, ensuring the delivery of high-quality orthopaedic care now and in the future.

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Supporting the transition to an Integrated Care Board

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Our Digital Transformation team’s expertise in programme management significantly enhanced an integrated care system’s readiness for the 2023 Integrated Care Board (ICB) transition, establishing a robust programme management office that ensured effective governance, process optimisation, and successful day-to-day project management.

Background

In 2021, to assist a digital team within an integrated care system to prepare for the 2023 ICB transition, NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU’s Digital Transformation team utilised their expertise in projects, programmes, and portfolio management to establish a digital programme management office for the integrated care system (ICS). The goals were twofold: firstly, to provide a framework for effective assurance and governance of the ICS’s complex mix of digital programmes, projects, and routine activities; and secondly, to ensure the availability of necessary processes, tools, and competencies.

Action
Our Digital Transformation team offered a comprehensive programme management office service, which included a central point of coordination and oversight to match the project requirements through experienced resources. Our approach, grounded in best practice methodology, encompassed three key phases:

– Definition: we established clear goals and objectives, ensuring executive buy-in and facilitating robust communication.

– Design: our team created a tailored delivery service to meet the specific requirements of the project. This step included setting up and establishing the service, providing projects, programmes, and portfolio management and resource management tools.

– Delivery: we executed the projects, programmes, and portfolio management strategy, defining a governance structure (reports, procedures, processes, and tools), and provided the appropriate competence models and resources where required.

Impact

The successful implementation of our programme management office service led to an ongoing role in overseeing day-to-day delivery, reporting, and meeting coordination for the client. Our approach facilitated an efficient and timely management of the project, aligning with the client’s requirements and project complexity.

Feedback

“MLCSU have actively provided an outsourced programme management office service for the digital team helping us to keep a steady rhythm of quality reporting and meetings with a complex and demanding mix of stakeholders. Their ‘can-do’ approach and professionalism helps maintain smooth operation.”

Joe McGuigan | ICB Director of Digital Operations and Assurance | ICB Deputy SIRO & SCR Strategic Lead |
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board

If you would like to find out more about our programme management office services you can do so by visiting our Digital Transformation page.

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NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU celebrates triple HSJ award nominations

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We are thrilled to share that NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU’s Transformation Unit, has earned three esteemed nominations at the 2024 HSJ Partnership Awards. This achievement reflects a dynamic collaboration with the NHS, highlighting cutting-edge healthcare projects within the UK.

Our shortlisted projects:

Clinical and Care Professional Leadership Framework

The Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board’s clinical and care professional leadership framework, developed in collaboration with our Transformation Unit, has been shortlisted for the Most Effective Contribution to Integrated Health and Care category at the 2024 HSJ Partnership Awards. 

This project marks a significant transition from local clinical commissioning groups to integrated care systems, emphasising a multidisciplinary approach to decision-making. The framework’s development involved system-wide workshops and a multi-professional steering group, resulting in a comprehensive leadership and development framework aligned with national guidance.

Echocardiography recovery plan

The echocardiography recovery plan, a collaboration between our Transformation Unit and the Cheshire and Merseyside Acute and Specialist Trusts Collaborative (CMAST), has been shortlisted for the Diagnostic Project of the Year at the 2024 HSJ Partnership Awards. This project, a part of the diagnostic programme, aimed to reduce waiting times for echocardiograms which are essential tests for assessing heart function. The plan focused on standardising processes, addressing patient backlogs, and reducing access disparities, achieving a record number of patients seen within six weeks post-COVID.

Active hospitals (Phase 2)

Phase 2 of the Active Hospitals project, a collaborative effort between our Transformation Unit, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, and Sport England, has been shortlisted for the Most Impactful Partnership in Preventative Healthcare at the 2024 HSJ Partnership Awards. This program, part of the Moving Healthcare Professionals programme, focused on embedding physical activity promotion within hospital trusts, increasing staff awareness, and fostering patient engagement in physical activity to improve health outcomes.

These recognitions from the HSJ Partnership Awards are not only a celebration of our past achievements but also an encouragement for continuous development in patient-centred and integrated healthcare solutions. These acknowledgements reinforce our dedication to healthcare innovation and collaboration.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at Evolution London on March 21st, 2024. The awards’ judging panel, comprising a diverse group of highly respected figures and healthcare leaders from across the UK, reflects the comprehensive and varied perspectives within the healthcare community. For more information and a complete list of the 2024 HSJ Partnership Awards nominees, please visit the HSJ Partnership website: https://partnership.hsj.co.uk/.

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Enhancing programme management office functions at Lancashire and South Cumbria integrated care system

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Our Digital Transformation team’s in-depth review and strategic guidance significantly improved Lancashire and South Cumbria integrated care system’s programme management office, leading to enhanced governance, better resource allocation, and a clear roadmap for future development.

Background

Lancashire and South Cumbria (L&SC) integrated care system asked NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU’s (MLCSU) Digital Transformation team to undertake a review of their journey in setting up a programme management office and its governance. They had made some progress in setting up and finding tools, but realised they needed more work to become more stable and controlled. L&SC wanted the team to closely look at their current practices across their whole portfolio and suggest ways to reach their goals.

Action

Our Digital Transformation team worked closely with L&SC to explore existing process, controls, and capabilities across six areas; definition, finance and allocation of resource, controls, communication and engagement, change/benefits management and PMO/programme control.

The review process was split into three defined parts:

1. A detailed document review to establish the current project position with source material shared by the L&SC team

2. A series of interviews to ‘deep dive’ into the review areas with L&SC project and programme leads

3. A series of interviews with the senior leadership team to review the areas from a senior perspective.

The outcomes of the review processes informed an assessment of project and programme management capacity and capability. MLCSU’s assessment provided a current baseline for each of the projects and programmes within scope and identified opportunities for improvement to support the development of the programme management office along with identification of key areas to be prioritised. Following the assessment, the L&SC requested further support with implementing the findings and next steps with their project teams.

The MLCSU team designed and facilitated a two day workshop to provide this feedback and further develop the next steps with key input from the L&SC project teams.

Impact

MLCSU’s Digital Transformation team offered valuable insight into the L&SC programme management office’s current state, along with advice and guidance on how to develop their programme management office into a controlled, stable state.

This included the identification of key areas requiring the development of tools and templates, as well as recommendations for improvements to governance, links to strategy and ownership of budgets. Furthermore, our Digital Transformation team prioritised these recommendations for L&SC and built on them with the engagement of the L&SC project teams to initiate the development of the tools, templates and improvement activities, giving them the confidence to own their plan and actions to get to their future state.

The result of this collaborative approach provided L&SC with a clear roadmap for the development of their programme management office, with clear actions and owners against this roadmap and extremely positive feedback from both the project team and senior leadership team in terms of the approach to this work as well as the output. Subsequently, MLCSU’s Digital Transformation team have been engaged to further support L&SC with an outsourced programme management office service.

Feedback

“I wanted to feedback to you on the positive partnership that we had with Gurpreet, Steve, and Lizzie. The work was well managed and undertaken in a true spirit of partnership, support, and guidance. The whole digital staff team reported a really positive experience and valued the input from Steve and Lizzie in the one-to-one interviews. We have a clear roadmap now of where we need to utilise our limited resources and priorities. I wanted to personally acknowledge the hard work that Lizzie put into the process and the workshop, she is a real asset to your team.”

Janet Davies | Programme Lead Digital PMO | Lancashire and South Cumbria ICS

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New podcast: Inclusive decision-making in healthcare

Recorded live at the NHS ConfedExpo, join host Richard Caddy in an enlightening conversation with Jess Tyrrell and Rachel Newton, Inclusion Business Partners at the NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU’s (MLCSU) Inclusion Unit.

Listen to “Inside MLCSU” online, or download via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.

New episode: Essential techniques of inclusive decision-making

In this episode, Rachel and Jess delve into the art and science of inclusive decision-making within the NHS. They share their insights on how NHS leaders can integrate inclusivity at the core of project planning. From the importance of objective data analysis to engaging diverse groups in consultations, this episode covers essential strategies for making informed decisions in healthcare management.

Discover how embracing inclusive practices in decision-making not only benefits the staff but also enhances the quality and accessibility of healthcare services. This episode is a treasure trove of information for NHS leaders and anyone interested in understanding how inclusivity can lead to more effective and efficient healthcare services.

A must-listen for those seeking to grasp the complexity and necessity of inclusive strategies in healthcare. It’s an insightful journey into ensuring that health and care services are cost-effective, clinically effective, and accessible to a broader spectrum of the population.

For more insights and information about our work in equality and inclusion, visit MLCSU Inclusion Unit: https://www.midlandsandlancashirecsu.nhs.uk/our-expertise/equality-and-inclusion-team/

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Upholding equality, diversity, and inclusion in times of financial cutbacks

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A blog by Robert Beardall, Inclusion Unit Project Manager at MLCSU

As a professional navigating the financial landscape of the NHS and large public sector organisations, I find myself facing a complex array of challenges, particularly when it comes to sustaining equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives. I’ve noticed an ironic twist that can’t be ignored: the risk of diminishing support for EDI at a time when, arguably, this support becomes more critical. This paradox is something I, along with others in the healthcare sector, recognise well. We understand that financial cutbacks can inadvertently lead to a reduced focus on EDI, potentially undermining the very fabric of inclusive health services.

Financial constraints often force hard choices, and EDI initiatives can be perceived as ancillary rather than integral. This is a significant risk. For me, EDI isn’t just about meeting statutory requirements; it’s about ensuring equitable access to health services, adopting a workforce as diverse as the population it serves, and creating inclusive environments where everyone’s health needs are met without prejudice or bias.

Despite these financial pressures, our commitment to EDI remains steadfast. At NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU’s Inclusion Unit, we are acutely aware of the necessity of EDI and position ourselves as allies to organisations during these trying times. Our suite of services is designed to maintain and enhance EDI support without imposing further financial burdens. From high-level appraisals to strategy improvements and targeted training, our team offers strategic support to ensure that EDI remains at the heart of all public sector services, regardless of the economic climate.

As an EDI practitioner, I am acutely aware of the irony: when resources are scarce, the principles of inclusion can guide us in making more compassionate and judicious decisions. It’s during these times that the NHS’s commitment to an inclusive health service is truly tested, and The Inclusion Unit stands ready to ensure that this commitment does not waver. The message we uphold is clear: financial challenges should catalyse innovation in EDI practices, not contribute to their decline.

For those seeking assistance in navigating these complexities and to discover how we can support your EDI initiatives, please visit our equality and inclusion page: https://www.midlandsandlancashirecsu.nhs.uk/our-expertise/equality-and-inclusion-team/

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New partnership to ensure a robust Continuing Healthcare Assessment service

We are excited to announce a partnership between NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU’s Personalised Healthcare Commissioning Team and Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucester Integrated Care Board (BNSSG ICB). Over the next six months, our joint venture will focus on providing additional capacity for Continuing Healthcare (CHC) assessments.

Our collaborative efforts will help BNSSG ICB target key areas to improve the CHC assessment process  for their population:

1. Timely assessments: reducing wait times for assessments, ensuring service users receive the care they need when they need it.

2. Enhanced decision-making: we will assist BNSSG ICB in making more informed decisions about individual care needs.

3. Personalised care approach: tailoring assessments to individual needs, recognising the unique circumstances of each service user.

As we embark on this journey with BNSSG ICB, our primary goal is to ensure that all service users referred by the ICB receive appropriate, high-quality assessments in a timely and efficient manner. This partnership represents a significant step forward in our commitment to improving healthcare services and delivering exceptional care to the community.

To find out more about our services visit: https://www.midlandsandlancashirecsu.nhs.uk/personalised-healthcare-commissioning-services/