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Health innovations and evolving healthcare sector
The opportunities for us to care more easily for ourselves, or understand our own health better, are increasing rapidly. The Guardian healthcare network reported recently that Google, Apple, and Samsung are all racing to develop wearable technology that could be used to monitor personal health and diagnose disease. The growing number of new healthcare apps is another symptom of the change taking place. We’re never far away from a story about innovative technology built around patient needs and providing a better experience.
Last week the BBC, among others, ran a piece about an American entrepreneur who has apparently become the youngest self-made female billionaire after developing a new system for blood tests. The premise is unassuming: to make blood tests simple, timely, un-alarming, and cheap. Achieving this has required her company to re-invent the chemistry and analytics of blood-testing; enabling fast, accurate and sophisticated tests to be done using only tiny amounts of blood.
Despite the high-tech innovation, in some ways there’s a very familiar feel to how they’re making it work. Taking it from a niche service sold to pharma to a mass market product experienced directly by patients, is being achieved through a network of 8,500 retail drug stores.
Proliferation
The story describes this aspect of their development as a sideshow to the main event; it almost slips in under the radar. But I think it shows something really significant. The headline grabbing discovery, development or device is never enough on its own. Without a network to spread them, today’s headliners become yesterday’s news very fast. Sustaining and sharing innovation is how doings differently starts making a difference.
Our Enhancing Quality and Recovery (EQR) collaborative approach is a great example of how the cycle can work well. It’s often clinical teams who are the unsung heroes, adopting the latest best practice and using it to sustain improvements for patients. Without their commitment to collaboration and sharing learning, best practice and innovation would struggle to achieve such widescale impact across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
Hold that date!
I’m delighted that there is at least one upcoming event where the EQR teams will be headline grabbing – so just a quick reminder that the KSS AHSN Expo and awards will be in London on 13 January 2015. Please save the date in your diary and look out for details about registration which will open in September.
Kind regards,
Guy Boersma Managing Director, KSS AHSN
KSS AHSN Secondment Opportunity: Director (Clinical) for Patient Safety Collaborative
KSS AHSN is hosting the KSS Patient Safety Collaborative, which will develop a culture of continuous learning and sharing data to make a significant reduction in patient harms. This is part of a national initiative of 15 Collaboratives and we need a Director (Clinical) to work jointly with the Director (Operational) to achieve these important outcomes. You will need experience as a Clinical Director in achieving service improvements, along with an exemplar reputation for delivery. Experience of undertaking a regional, cross-boundary role is essential.
This is a two-year secondment starting in September 2014, for five PAs per week. For further information, please contact Kay Mackay on 01293 600300 x1751.
To apply, please send your CV and a one-page supporting statement to: Julie Hall: julie@templetreeconsulting.co.uk
Closing date for applications: 29th August
Selection process: 9th September
KSS AHSN poster accepted for presentation at the BTS Winter Meeting 2014
KSS AHSN’s poster abstract titled A survey of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) Services in Kent, Surrey, Sussex (KSS) has been accepted for presentation at the BTS Winter Meeting 2014.
We believe the survey, and therefore the information obtained, to be unique, not only because of the depth and breadth of service delivery detail obtained from clinicians, thus providing a real-life snapshot of the provision of a specific service – pulmonary rehabilitation, but also since it is from every provider of this service across an entire AHSN region.
The poster has been programmed to be presented on Thursday 4 December 2014. The poster will be in the session titled Clinical Delivery of Pulmonary Rehabilitation and will be displayed in the Whittle and Fleming Rooms on the 3rd floor throughout the day. For more information about BTS Winter Meetings 2014, please click here.
Geneix and IDEA London 15 September Event
Geneix in partnership with IDEA London, we’ll be hosting an evening of talks on the essentials of digital product development. This event is for medical professionals interested in developing their own digital product, or those interested in learning about the process of digital health technology development.
The event will be held on 15th September, if you’re interested in attending, simply send an email to: a.douglassbonner@ucl.ac.uk or you can find out more information and book a place on EventBrite.
Health Innovation Challenge Fund: Call for Proposals
The Wellcome Trust runs a joint funding initiative with the Department of Health. The Health Innovation Challenge Fund (HICF) is a translational funding scheme to accelerate the clinical application of projects that are well advanced along the development pathway. We would like to take this opportunity to inform you that we have just announced a new call for proposals.
Full details and application forms are available from the website. The deadline for preliminary applications is 15 September 2014.
Please contact Tim Knott: t.knott@wellcome.ac.uk, if you would like to discuss the Health Innovation Challenge Fund. Please forward this to any colleagues that may be interested.
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Health Innovation Network Invitation to Primary Care Event on 23 September
The Health Innovation Network would like to invite you to our event ‘Focus on Primary Care in South London’
Health Innovation Network (the Academic Health Science Network for South London) is hosting an afternoon networking and learning event on 23 September to bring together GPs and healthcare professionals from across all aspects of Primary Care in South London – from patient care to commissioning and service improvements.
HEKSS Innovation Challenge Fund
Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex has launched the Innovation Challenge Fund to support innovative approaches to workforce development. The £500k fund aims to speed up the introduction of new approaches to training and education that will enable health and care professionals to deliver better, more efficient care for patients.
For more information, and to download the application form and guidance documents, please visit the HEKSS website. The deadline for applications is 17 October 2014.