Joe Harrison

Great morning discussing urgent care transformation, NHS budgets, and future tech development as part of an insightful panel today, moderated by Megan Harwood-Baynes, Social Affairs and Health Reporter at Sky News including Nigel Hall from DHU Healthcare, Nicole Kayode and Dr Paul Wright from OneAdvanced. We also touched on the key findings from the NHS Dharzi Report, current challenges with the NHS budget, and how emerging technologies will support continued health care transformation. Special thanks to OneAdvanced for hosting and Megan for leading a thought-provoking discussion on the pressing issues facing the NHS today. #NHSTransformation #UrgentCare #HealthcareInnovation #FutureTech #NHS #DigitalHealth #HealthcareLeadership #Transformation

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I find this encouraging - that this move to left shift doesn’t need to wait but can begin at once, led by ICBs. There are real opportunities to move quickly here, to build on the existing infrastructure for hospital at home/virtual wards and move into RM for long term conditions. Which is a great fit for all fo the 3 shifts that have been flagged. Any ICBs out there who’d be keen to move on this or like a chat about it, I’d very happy to help. “Integrated care boards (ICBs) are critical to delivery of the strategic shifts from treatment to prevention, from analogue to digital and from hospital to community, and will continue to be the system leader for the NHS, convening and working across all key partners within their integrated care system. We want systems to be empowered, and our goal is to give more freedoms for the top performers – those who are improving population health, reducing inequality of outcomes and who deliver high patient satisfaction and use resources effectively. This also means that we will work closely with these high performers to help shape policy, frame national best practice and drive improvement. We will build on the work of NHS IMPACT to ensure systems ‘in the middle’ have the capability and support to improve, and we will refine our approach to recovery support to enable stronger and more rapid intervention for lower performing systems. We also recognise that we need to take account of contextual factors for each of the issues that are apparent in each organisation and system.” Good synthesis by Helen Northall here -

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Jon has written the piece below about the importance of spending time crafting your business case, so you can stand out from the crowd. More important than ever at the moment! (He’s excellent at writing business cases if you need any assistance!)

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It is a great to see, a new CEO championing a new infrastructure of a new build hospital which should improve the patient experience, and in turn contribute towards positive outcomes in well- equipped facilities. From business case to commissioning, a large acute hospital is similar to creating a microcosm town, with all the necessary infrastructure, services, and governance to support a thriving community to provide a high quality of life (or care) for their inhabitants (or patients).The increasing fiscal costs of newly built hospitals, whether in public or private sectors from the cost of the project cycle to operational never stays the same, always increasing due to various factors which leaves no choice for Trust Boards , Investors and Commissioners to fill the fiscal vacuum. It raises various questions, why can we not plan ahead and take bolder decisions. Thirty-three years ago, as a student, my supervisor joked “it takes multiple personnel (5 people+) to change a light bulb in a hospital environment”. In recognition, hospital environments have to comply with stringent health & safety standards, my real time assessment whilst working as a clinician to COO in differing roles, there are too many people involved at different stages directly and indirectly before a bulb is changed, which unfortunately creates multiple avoidable transactions and time lost and is a symptom of  larger systematic issues within hospital operative management systems. In the NHS and corporate healthcare there are real focus on patient flows and outcomes, but less in support services with systematic loss of sight of the cost of the final product. The impact of Covid 19, unrest in Europe, Global IT issues and beyond is a reality check on how creating a circular self-efficient economy on what’s feasible with advanced technologies will benefit hospital management systems across the world. Without taking away the vital support corporate services staffs provide behind the scenes, there has been limited focus on interconnectivity and to be more efficient, provide value for money, be environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly whilst making use of adaptive technology including AI and not seen as a separate entity to provide care. I am yet to hear from one corporate service member of staff in last 33 years that their role is to contribute and support clinicians to provide high quality care in a very cost-effective way. There are pockets of innovations and excellent practices within some corporate areas, to spread these champions requires boldness, risk, and failures. Until Senior leaders notice and  give real autonomy to frontline leadership (both corporate and clinicians) to run their units like their own households, have access to expert advice as and when necessary, support the cultural and behavioural shifts overtime, real time dashboards on each corporate activity cost to the service, the cost of building and running hospitals will not provide VFM.

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As you start the second half of 2024, why not partner with an organisation that provides cost effective and agile solution focused programmes across the health and social care sector. From PSIRF and After Action Reviews to Service Evaluations and independent reports, J LAWRY HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT LTD can provide the answer. On time, within budget, and designed with the patient in mind. #healthandsocialcareconsultancy #healthcareprofessionals #socialcareprofessionals #PSIRF #Afteractionreviews #patientsafety #incidentmanagement #independentreporting #serviceevaluations #servicereviews #interimmanagement #programmemanagement #projectmanagement #healthandsocialcare

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At the risk of sounding like a broken record…nothing will change unless we do something different… All the considerable effort that has gone into medical advances, now has to be matched by ensuring that our ever increasing older population has the right support available in the community, this in turn will ease the pressure on the NHS and local authorities…soon, one in four of the Welsh population will be over 65, with all the opportunities and challenges that brings. Someone has to grab the bull by the horns and say “let’s stop talking about what needs to be done, let’s get on with doing it” Age Cymru Gwent is proud of the work it does to support the NHS and local authorities, we helped older people throughout Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area claim £6.5m in annualised benefits they were entitled to last year, this money is critical to the lives of older people and eases the burden on the NHS and local authorities. This year, so far, we’ve helped 33,476 people up until the end of September with healthcare support, information, advice, advocacy, respite care, housing support, loneliness, handymen services, domestic support, scams awareness, digital inclusion and much much more.. But, we also stand ready to further support older people in this time of great need, despite the savage impact of the new budget. I hope next year will see significant change, I hope the extra money in the budget to support health and social care will be utilised for partnership working, allowing charities to increase support of older people and ease the pressure on a beleaguered NHS. Age Cymru Gwent provides life changing services to 3,500 people every month and receives no core government funding. Get in touch if you would like to help change the world for older people.

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Unlocking Continuous Improvement: The Power of After Action Reviews in the NHS I recently read an interview with Dave Cooper, a former US Navy SEAL who played a key role in the planning and preparation for the mission to capture Osama Bin Laden. In the interview he explains the pivotal role After Action Reviews (AAR’s) played in ensuring the mission was a success. Over the last year I’ve worked with NHS Trusts, delivering training on the new Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) which introduces a number of tools, one of which is AAR’s. Whilst I’d seen how they can play a role, Dave Cooper’s interview made clear just how transformative an effective AAR can be in transforming processes and outcomes. Why After Action Reviews? AARs are not just about identifying what went wrong, but also celebrating what went right and how we can replicate success. They offer a structured method for teams to reflect on what happened, why it happened, and how future operations can be improved. This iterative learning process is crucial for fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Creating a Psychologically Safe Environment For AARs to be truly effective, it’s essential to cultivate an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their honest feedback without fear of retribution. This involves: Embracing Vulnerability: Encouraging everyone, from frontline staff to senior leaders, to openly discuss their mistakes and learnings. Eliminating Hierarchy: In AARs, every voice matters. Breaking down hierarchical barriers ensures that insights from all levels of the organisation are heard and valued. Dave Cooper explains that AAR’s should consist of a short meeting in which all of the team gather to discuss and replay key decisions. Crucially they are not led by commanders, there are no agendas and no minutes are kept. The goal is to create a flat landscape where people can figure out what really happened and talk about mistakes – especially their own. As Cooper describes succinctly “rank switched off, humility switched on” with the most important four words any leader can say being “I screwed that up”. The Impact in the NHS When done correctly, AARs can lead to: Improved Patient Safety: By systematically analysing incidents, near misses, and successes, we can implement changes that prevent future errors and enhance patient care. Enhanced Team Collaboration: AARs promote a culture of open communication and trust, strengthening teamwork and morale. Ongoing Professional Development: Continuous learning through AARs helps healthcare professionals develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By adopting the principles of the Navy SEALs and prioritising psychological safety, the NHS can harness the full potential of AARs to drive excellence in patient care and operational efficiency. #HealthcareExcellence #AfterActionReviews #ContinuousImprovement #NHS #PatientSafety #Leadership #PsychologicalSafety #Teamwork

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"We've already started to see positive progress in terms of our waiting list size in the first two weeks. Within this timeframe since the unit's been open, we've scoped an additional 336 patients." Kathryn Kelter, Head of Operations for Planned Care at the University Hospitals of North Midlands.   We're thrilled to see the positive impact of University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust mobile endoscopy unit. By delivering diagnostics more timely, the solution eases the pressure on hospital services, helping UHNM meet NHS England's target of eliminating overdue surveillance procedures.    EMS Healthcare’s mobile unit was quickly commissioned and operational within just five weeks, demonstrating the benefits of rapid installation to provide capacity wherever and whenever it's needed most.    The mobile endoscopy solution provided by EMS Healthcare and Medinet features two diagnostic rooms and its own decontamination facility. It is operational seven days a week and aims to facilitate 4,500 appointments, giving patients timely access to essential tests.   Currently, there are over 7.5 million unresolved care pathways affecting an estimated 6.4 million individuals in England, with nearly 4 million pathways contributing to a significant backlog accumulated over the last decade. In an NHS environment, maintaining patient care is crucial, a fully–managed mobile clinical space can provide a valuable alternative to closures, refurbishments and decant of facilities. The temporary infrastructure can rapidly boost capacity, mitigate disruption and maintain patient care standards. If you require help with reducing waiting lists and increasing capacity for diagnostic tests, watch our video to see how we can support. Alternatively, head over to our website for more information: https://lnkd.in/e6PYDSC9   #Endoscopy #WaitingLists #EarlyDetection

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Like everyone else in the country the independent sector will be digesting the impacts of yesterday's Budget announcements and in particular how the £40 billion of tax rises will impact on them. Undoubtedly the changes to employers National Insurance is the biggest part of that reflection and the government should be in no doubt that this cost increase will be keenly felt. In our response we reflect on the fact that the Chancellor made great play of the increase in the NHS budget but that did not include any milestones by which the public can expect to see improvements on access times. It may be that the forthcoming NHS planning guidance and/or 10 Year Health Plan sets this out but whilst the public will welcome the continued government commitment to delivering NHS constitutional standards again by 2029, including the 18-week target, there needs to be clear transparency on the journey to getting there. https://lnkd.in/ePV7t4Ad

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Collaboration with who? Real collaboration with community services - from the report “The NHS budget is not being spent where it should be – too great a share is being spent in hospitals, too little in the community, and productivity is too low” Known throughout my 20 years + in community but nothing has ever changed What about learning from others, dare I say it some private providers are already doing this… Drive productivity in hospitals. Acute care providers will need to bring down waiting lists by radically improving their productivity. That means fixing flow through better operational management, capital investment in modern buildings and equipment, and re-engaging and empowering staff. Tilt towards technology. There must be a major tilt towards technology to unlock productivity. In particular, the hundreds of thousands of NHS staff working outside hospitals urgently need the benefits of digital systems. There is enormous potential in AI to transform care and for life sciences breakthroughs to create new treatments. Contribute to the nation’s prosperity. With the NHS budget at £165 billion this year, the health service’s productivity is vital for national prosperity. Moreover, the NHS must rebuild its capacity to get more people off waiting lists and back into work. At the same time, it should better support British biopharmaceutical companies. Reform to make the structure deliver. While a top-down reorganisation of NHS England and integrated care boards is neither necessary nor desirable, there is more work to be done to clarify roles and accountabilities, ensure the right balance of management resources in different parts of the structure, and strengthen key processes such as capital approvals. Change will only be successful if the NHS can recover its capacity to deliver plans and strategies as well as to make them. And what about Social Care, both reforms need to be done in tandem And let’s include the voice of the patients . Patient engagement. The patient voice is not loud enough The NHS should aspire to deliver high quality care for all, all of the time. That not only means care that is safe and effective but that treats people with dignity, compassion and respect, making their experiences as positive as they can be. Yet patient satisfaction with services has declined and the number of complaints has increased, while patients are less empowered to make choices about their care. A familiar theme in inquiries into care failings has been patients’ concerns not being heard or acted upon. The NHS is paying out record sums in compensation payments for care failures, which now amount to nearly £3 billion or 1.7 per cent of the entire NHS budget. I believe the time has come for less talk and more action - let’s see these recommendations being implemented

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The NHS England Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance 2024/25 has recently been released and Steve Wightman, Commercial Director at The Access Group, shared his opinion about this #NHS publication: “The long-awaited publication of NHS England’s planning guidance gives some welcomed clarity to the ambitious productivity plans for 2024/2025. And with clear opportunities for digital and data to underpin many of the recommendations, it’s good to see the recommitment to strategic plans, such as ‘A plan for digital health and care’ and ‘Data Saves Lives’. Plus, further details on how the NHS can utilise the £3.4 billion technology investment from the Spring Budget to progress the levelling up agenda. We’ve seen first-hand how the use of integrated digital solutions can help providers breakdown the friction between healthcare boundaries, improve patient flow and reduce waiting times. A key part of our integrated care vision is an intelligent digital care record which combines multiple data sources in one place, giving you a real-time view of the record from various care settings. It’s vital that these examples are scaled up at a system-wide level as part of the plans to implement the guidance and help empower decision making based on the most reliable data.” Read the full guidance here: https://ow.ly/lV8u50RkW2g. #Health #Care #Healthcare #Patient #DigitalCare

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The NHS England Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance 2024/25 has recently been released and Steve Wightman, Commercial Director at The Access Group, shared his opinion about this #NHS publication: “The long-awaited publication of NHS England’s planning guidance gives some welcomed clarity to the ambitious productivity plans for 2024/2025. And with clear opportunities for digital and data to underpin many of the recommendations, it’s good to see the recommitment to strategic plans, such as ‘A plan for digital health and care’ and ‘Data Saves Lives’. Plus, further details on how the NHS can utilise the £3.4 billion technology investment from the Spring Budget to progress the levelling up agenda. We’ve seen first-hand how the use of integrated digital solutions can help providers breakdown the friction between healthcare boundaries, improve patient flow and reduce waiting times. A key part of our integrated care vision is an intelligent digital care record which combines multiple data sources in one place, giving you a real-time view of the record from various care settings. It’s vital that these examples are scaled up at a system-wide level as part of the plans to implement the guidance and help empower decision making based on the most reliable data.” Read the full guidance here: https://ow.ly/vAyW50RQyhu. #Health #Care #Healthcare #Patient #DigitalCare #NHSEngland #OperationalPlanning #DigitalHealth #DataSavesLives #HealthTech #IntegratedCare #PatientFlow #HealthcareIT #HealthcareInnovation #StrategicPlanning

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The NHS England Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance 2024/25 has recently been released and Steve Wightman, Commercial Director at The Access Group, shared his opinion about this #NHS publication: “The long-awaited publication of NHS England’s planning guidance gives some welcomed clarity to the ambitious productivity plans for 2024/2025. And with clear opportunities for digital and data to underpin many of the recommendations, it’s good to see the recommitment to strategic plans, such as ‘A plan for digital health and care’ and ‘Data Saves Lives’. Plus, further details on how the NHS can utilise the £3.4 billion technology investment from the Spring Budget to progress the levelling up agenda. We’ve seen first-hand how the use of integrated digital solutions can help providers breakdown the friction between healthcare boundaries, improve patient flow and reduce waiting times. A key part of our integrated care vision is an intelligent digital care record which combines multiple data sources in one place, giving you a real-time view of the record from various care settings. It’s vital that these examples are scaled up at a system-wide level as part of the plans to implement the guidance and help empower decision making based on the most reliable data.” Read the full guidance here: https://ow.ly/EUoJ50REAB7. #Health #Care #Healthcare #Patient #DigitalCare

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The NHS England Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance 2024/25 has recently been released and Steve Wightman, Commercial Director at The Access Group, shared his opinion about this #NHS publication: “The long-awaited publication of NHS England’s planning guidance gives some welcomed clarity to the ambitious productivity plans for 2024/2025. And with clear opportunities for digital and data to underpin many of the recommendations, it’s good to see the recommitment to strategic plans, such as ‘A plan for digital health and care’ and ‘Data Saves Lives’. Plus, further details on how the NHS can utilise the £3.4 billion technology investment from the Spring Budget to progress the levelling up agenda. We’ve seen first-hand how the use of integrated digital solutions can help providers breakdown the friction between healthcare boundaries, improve patient flow and reduce waiting times. A key part of our integrated care vision is an intelligent digital care record which combines multiple data sources in one place, giving you a real-time view of the record from various care settings. It’s vital that these examples are scaled up at a system-wide level as part of the plans to implement the guidance and help empower decision making based on the most reliable data.” Read the full guidance here: https://ow.ly/AkWv50SjJBw. #Health #Care #Healthcare #Patient #DigitalCare #DigitalHealth #DataSavesLives #HealthcareIT #PatientCare #HealthTech #IntegratedCare #HealthTechUK

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The NHS England Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance 2024/25 has recently been released and Steve Wightman, Commercial Director at The Access Group, shared his opinion about this #NHS publication: “The long-awaited publication of NHS England’s planning guidance gives some welcomed clarity to the ambitious productivity plans for 2024/2025. And with clear opportunities for digital and data to underpin many of the recommendations, it’s good to see the recommitment to strategic plans, such as ‘A plan for digital health and care’ and ‘Data Saves Lives’. Plus, further details on how the NHS can utilise the £3.4 billion technology investment from the Spring Budget to progress the levelling up agenda. We’ve seen first-hand how the use of integrated digital solutions can help providers breakdown the friction between healthcare boundaries, improve patient flow and reduce waiting times. A key part of our integrated care vision is an intelligent digital care record which combines multiple data sources in one place, giving you a real-time view of the record from various care settings. It’s vital that these examples are scaled up at a system-wide level as part of the plans to implement the guidance and help empower decision making based on the most reliable data.” Read the full guidance here: https://ow.ly/Za8f50SmYIK. #Health #Care #Healthcare #Patient #DigitalCare

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The NHS England Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance 2024/25 has recently been released and Steve Wightman, Commercial Director at The Access Group, shared his opinion about this #NHS publication: “The long-awaited publication of NHS England’s planning guidance gives some welcomed clarity to the ambitious productivity plans for 2024/2025. And with clear opportunities for digital and data to underpin many of the recommendations, it’s good to see the recommitment to strategic plans, such as ‘A plan for digital health and care’ and ‘Data Saves Lives’. Plus, further details on how the NHS can utilise the £3.4 billion technology investment from the Spring Budget to progress the levelling up agenda. We’ve seen first-hand how the use of integrated digital solutions can help providers breakdown the friction between healthcare boundaries, improve patient flow and reduce waiting times. A key part of our integrated care vision is an intelligent digital care record which combines multiple data sources in one place, giving you a real-time view of the record from various care settings. It’s vital that these examples are scaled up at a system-wide level as part of the plans to implement the guidance and help empower decision making based on the most reliable data.” Read the full guidance here: https://ow.ly/iZKV50TLlSu. #Health #Care #Healthcare #Patient #DigitalCare

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1 in 10 of our Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) at Barts Health NHS Trust have experienced violence and abuse from patients or the public. This insight comes from our latest NHS Staff Survey results. Our AHPs do incredible work, from helping patients prepare and get through their treatment to supporting them get back on their feet—sometimes quite literally—to so much more. Without them, patients recovering from major surgeries or sudden medical events like strokes might never regain their previous quality of life. The fact that many of my colleagues and others across the NHS experience violence and abuse upsets and concerns me, not only for their wellbeing, but the AHP professions themself. How can we support and retain our skilled, compassionate staff if they are subjected to verbal or physical harm? We recognise that we work in an environment where patients and families are likely to be affected by trauma. There are many factors behind incidents of violence and abuse - challenging personal situations, family dynamics, addiction struggles, to name a few. We are actively training staff to spot these signs and to manage tense situations. But, realistically, violence and abuse may never fully stop. That’s why Barts Health is among the first trusts to introduce a ‘trauma recovery day.’ The ‘trauma recovery day’ is part of a comprehensive support package for any staff member who has experienced a traumatic incident. After a compassionate check-in with their manager, staff can take a recovery day if they need it to feel more like themselves again. This will not count toward their sick leave. As leaders, we need to come together to support and protect our staff. After all, caring for our people is essential to the care we provide.

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