Medipex NHS Innovation Awards 2014
At the 2015 Medipex Awards, eight winners across five categories were chosen from over 60 entries received from NHS organisations, companies and universities working with the NHS across Yorkshire and Humberside. They were announced at a formal ceremony in Wakefield hosted by TV doctor Ranj Singh.
An app to help paramedics locate the nearest specialist services and a programme to help cancer patients rebuild their lives after treatment were just two of the winners at the region’s most important healthcare innovation awards.
The awards, celebrating their tenth anniversary this year, provide a platform to showcase pioneering new ideas and technologies developed by NHS staff to improve patient care and make services more efficient.
The awards are run by Medipex, the organisation that helps nurture the development and commercialisation of innovation within the region's NHS. This year, the awards were also partnered by the Yorkshire & Humber Academic Health Science Network (Y&H AHSN), a new regional partnership between patients, health services, industry, and academia.
Richard Pilbery, from Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, was joint winner in the Software and Telehealth category with his smart phone app to help paramedics get patients quickly to the best care. The app can tell paramedics which emergency and other services are available in the area, in particular specialist facilities such as trauma, stroke and heart centres, which may not be based at the nearest hospital.
Jane Archer, from York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was joint winner in the Secondary Care category with a programme to help cancer patients rebuild their lives after their formal treatment is completed. The four day course helps people to manage their fear of recurrence, fatigue, diet, sexual concerns and to pick the right level of physical activity and plan for the future.
GP and primary care
This category is for innovations which relate to improvements in primary care including (but not limited to) pathway redesign, a book, a DVD, a training course, redesign of a service, a public health campaign, a new device or incorporation of a new technology into a service.
Category winner
Statistical Analysis of the Implementation of Threshold/Referral Criteria
Alex Bates, West and South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Commissioning Support Unit
With over 4,500 guidelines, it is difficult to determine which are being implemented effectively, leading to £billions wasted a year on poor targeting of resources. This tool generates large cost savings through halting procedures which should not be performed, and improves patient care by reducing unnecessary procedures.
Finalist
Patients’ Experiences of Penile Cancer (PEPC)
Dr Peter Branney, Leeds Beckett University
PEPC is an online resource detailing 27 patients’ experiences of this rare form of cancer. It covers a range of important issues, providing information to enable patients to navigate healthcare services and health professionals to understand and meet patient needs.
Finalist
Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB) – An interactive Computer Programme for Primary Care Clinicians
Melanie Rogers, Yorkshire Gynaecology Development Group (and University of Huddersfield)
This resource is designed to increase clinicians’ knowledge and confidence in dealing with AUB issues, with a view to improving the patient experience in Primary Care, leading to fewer referrals to Secondary Care.
Finalist
Friends and Family Test (FFT) Pathfinder Project (Stroke Services)
Nicole Bacon, North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group
The FFT has been applied to a complete care pathway, rather than a single point of care. This has allowed Commissioners to gain a more comprehensive knowledge of the critical points and complexities. It highlighted the potential for voluntary sector organisations to meet patient needs, once they are discharged to community care.
Finalist
Preventing Infection Workbook and Guidance for General Practice
Sonya Ashworth, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
This workbook has been developed to deliver cost-effective training to all staff in GP Practices, who can work through it at their own pace. It assists in achieving CQC compliance with Infection Prevention Control education, improving standards and preventing healthcare associated infection.
Secondary care
This category is for innovations which relate to adoption of innovation in secondary care including (but are not limited to) incorporation of a novel technology or idea into a service, clinical pathway redesign and cost-savings programmes associated with adoption of innovation.
Category winner
The self-management programme for living well, with, and beyond cancer
Jane Archer, York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Once formal treatment is completed there is a need to ensure patients are actively supported as they rebuild their lives following cancer treatment. This programme covers managing the fear of recurrence; fatigue management and appropriate physical activity; the role of diet in wellbeing and weight management; dealing with sexual concerns, intimacy and communication and planning for the future.
Finalist
Short Stay Paediatric Assessment Unit in A&E
Michelle Barnard, North East Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group
This Unit was developed to give children the required care without unnecessary hospital admissions and to create cost savings to develop children’s care in the community. Children are seen and treated more quickly and admissions were reduced by 24.4% in 2013/14 compared with the previous year, leading to a significant cost saving of up to £403k per year.
Finalist
Visibility of Stroke Research, Changing a Culture
Michael Keeling, NIHR Clinical Research Network Yorkshire and Humber/York Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust
Most people are unaware that research is carried out within the healthcare setting, and traditionally patients have been invited by their clinicians to participate. This project aims to change this by raising the profile of stroke research in a way that makes patients feel better informed and empowered to ask about getting involved in research and making choices about their own healthcare.
Finalist
Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to improve antenatal diagnosis of placental adhesive disorder (PAD) enabling appropriate and safe management of birth
Elspeth Whitby, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust
PAD is rising rapidly worldwide and if undiagnosed there is a high risk of maternal and perinatal death. Analysis of ultrasound images, feedback from surgery and pathology has led to identification of diagnostic features on MRI, guidelines and a patient pathway to ensure all patients are correctly identified and care planned to optimise the safety of both mother and child.
Finalist
Chandni Clinic ‘A women to women Sexual Health Service’
Dr Safia Jabeen, Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust Dewsbury
Chandni Clinic has been set up to provide services relating to the sexual health needs of Asian and Muslim women. Care is provided by female clinicians skilled in multiple Asian languages within the context of Islamic tenets. The service is backed up by a series of community based lectures that encourage attendance. This has resulted in a three-fold increase in Asian Muslim women accessing the service.
Mental health and wellbeing
This category is for innovations which relate to improvements in mental health care including (but not limited to) pathway redesign, a book, a DVD, a training course, redesign of a service, a public health campaign, a new device or incorporation of a new technology into a service.
Category winner
Converge: a university and a mental health service provider work together to offer educational opportunities to people who use mental health services (MHSU)
Nick Rowe and Jill Copeland, York St John University/ Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Through the provision of recovery orientated, non-stigmatising educational opportunities, Converge facilitates improved social inclusion for service users, with a 30-60% reduction in use of mental health services. Students have the opportunity to work alongside MHSUs, enhancing their employability and ‘real world’ experience.
Category winner
WHISe – (Wellbeing and Health Improvement Services) ‘It’s time to WHISe up! to holistic mental health’
Chris Payne, NAViGO Health & Social Care CIC
A comprehensive, whole body assessment aimed at improving health outcomes for patients with severe mental illness. WHISe uses ECG, body composition analysis, urinalysis and blood analysis coupled with healthy lifestyle and weight management advice, to improve patient care. In Q1 of 2014, 68% of patients seen had previously undiagnosed physical illnesses and were referred for faster treatment.
Finalist
Mental Health Awareness E-Learning
Jacqui Ellis, NAViGO Health & Social Care CIC
This DVD provides mental health awareness training to health professionals of all grades in a cost effective and convenient manner. It reduces stigma and provides insight and understanding to aid health professionals in their daily duties.
Finalist
Partnership and Resilience – Reducing Physical Health Inequalities for People with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
Lisa Youle, Right First Time (partnership), Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
This project aims to increase access to annual health checks and healthy lifestyle information thus promoting self-care and use of community resources for patients with SMI.
Finalist
Removing Barriers
Toyah Wordsworth, SYCIL (South Yorkshire Centre for Inclusive Living)
This is a light hearted board game which provides education about a serious subject in a fun and accessible way. It aims to reduce stigma and improve understanding of the issues that surround disability.
Medical devices and diagnostics
This category relates to an idea for, or development of a new medical device, piece of equipment or diagnostic by a member of NHS staff either working as part of a team with other NHS staff members, in collaboration with a company or in collaboration with a University.
Category winner
The Leeds Virtual Microscope (LVM)
Darren Treanor, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
The advantages of digital pathology include easier access to second opinions and advanced image analysis techniques. The LVM has been designed around pathologists’ requirements, allowing them to view microscope slides of tissue on a workstation rather than a microscope. LVM is also used on power walls for image viewing in teaching, training and research.
Finalist
Near infra-red fluorescent imaging in thyroid and parathyroid surgery
Saba Balasubramanian, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
In surgery the ability to identify and preserve normal glands, whilst removing those that are abnormal, is important. However differentiation is not easy. The use of Methylene Blue whilst aiding naked-eye identification of abnormal glands may cause significant side effects. Experimental work using a lower dose MB and Fluobeam, a hand held device that detects the fluorescence LDMB emits, has shown the necessary differentiation in the intra-operative environment, without the side effects of MB.
Finalist
Development and introduction of a new system for the diagnosis of bile acid malabsorption
Jonathan Taylor, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bile acid malabsorption is diagnosed by swallowing a radioactive tracer (SeHCAT), followed by scanning with a gamma camera. A 4-fold increase in referrals has led to increased waiting times. Modification of a standard radioactivity probe to mimic a SeHCAT measurement system and the design of bespoke software that automatically quantifies uptake of the tracer has provided a diagnostic solution at a tenth of the cost of an additional gamma camera.
Finalist
The Instrumented Acapella®
Martin J Wildman, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Poor technique and/or adherence limits the effectiveness of airway clearance, leading to poor health outcomes in patients with respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis. Previously, no way of monitoring these was available. In a pilot study, the electronic data capture monitoring and feedback has been shown to improve Acapella® use in both technique and adherence
Finalist
EktoTherix™ – regenerative wound repair scaffold
Dr Mike Raxworthy, Neotherix Ltd
EktoTherix™ is a novel 3D scaffold for soft tissue regeneration and repair. It provides healthy cells around a wound edge with an ultrafine fibre structure along which to migrate and fill the wound space. This in turn leads to better healing and cosmetic outcomes and reduces the need for skin grafts in the case of excisional wounds following the removal of skin cancers.
Software and telehealth
This category relates to the development or deployment of a new piece of software or a telehealth service by a member of NHS staff either working as part of a team with other NHS staff members, working with a company or in collaboration with a University.
Category winner
HEDLoc – Hospital Emergency (and other) Departments Locator
Richard Pilbery, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
This is a web app that uses modern smart phone’s GPS and internet connection capabilities to inform ambulance clinicians which referral pathways are available in the area. It also gives information on the local hospital facilities and helps to identify emergency department and specialist facilities e.g. trauma, stroke and heart centres, which may not be available at the nearest hospital.
Category winner
WebV Systems – electronic clinical solutions across secondary care
Robin Howes, Northern Lincolnshire & Goole Foundation Trust
WebV Systems is a clinical software application that delivers core clinical systems across the Trust. Capabilities include: clinical portal, electronic discharge, ward management, clinical handover and blood sample tracking.
Finalist
The clinical and economic impact of developing and implementing a bespoke clinical record system in a specialist cystic fibrosis unit
Daniel Peckham, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust
The change to a paperless electronic care record system in a cystic fibrosis unit has led to a reduction in porter time (transferring patient notes) of 150 hours/year; earlier identification of clinical deterioration; number of annual blood tests completed raising from 43% to 92%; discharge summaries sent to primary care in less than two days (previously 34 days): reduction of secretarial costs by 0.5 wte; increased retrieval of costs of expensive medicines from primary care by 25%.
Finalist
Supported Self Care
Taz Aldawoud, Local Care Direct
Patients with long term conditions are remotely monitored via question sets and vital signs data to detect early signs of exacerbation or deterioration in the patient’s condition. This specialist clinical service combines an understanding of technology with knowledge of patient needs and specific conditions to actively manage these alerts within the governance processes for managing time sensitive patient data.
Finalist
Telehealth through tele-education: improving access to training across the world!
Mark McAlindon, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Using a library archive of anonymised, annotated and reported videos to provide an intensive two day hands-on training both locally and via telecast in the University of Zagreb, Croatia. There are lectures and three ‘hands-on’ interactive video interpretation sessions to allow practice at recognizing anatomical landmarks, and common pathologies as well as assessing abnormalities and diagnosis.