Helen Liggett
North West Healthcare Science Workforce Lead
(Health Education North West)
Scientific Project Lead for North Region
(NHS England)
Helen.liggett@srft.nhs.uk
3 rd July 2013

History of NW HCS network
• Created in 2005
• SHA needed to understand HCS workforce
• Originally set up to:
1) gather HCS workforce data for education commissioning
2) raise profile of scientific workforce
3) influence at the highest levels of the NHS
• Today professional network covering all aspects of HCS
• Represents approx. 7000 HCS across 32 Trusts
• Open to all 60 specialisms of HCS and all grades
• Reaches across Cheshire and Mersey / Cumbria and Lancashire /
Greater Manchester – (3 dedicated sub-regional chairs) www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Current set up
• Funded by Local Education and Training Board - Health
Education North West
• Fund Workforce Lead post / shared admin support / HCS programme manager (MSC)
• Development budget of 50k
• Links to 3 other professional networks Centre for Professional
Workforce Development ( single point of contact for stakeholders to reach over 80 professions and 30,000+ health professionals )
• Links to a wide range of stakeholders e.g. AHSN’s / HEI’s
• Organisational Lead Scientists link to HCS workforce board www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Healthcare Science Specialisms
Laboratory (life) Sciences Physiological Sciences Physical Sciences and
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Analytical Toxicology
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Anatomical pathology
Blood transfusion science/transplantation
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Clinical biochemistry including paediatric metabolic biochemistry
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Clinical genetics/Genetic
Science
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Clinical embryology &
Reproductive Science
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Clinical immunology
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Cytopathology including cervical cytology
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Electron microscopy
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External quality assurance
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Haematology
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Haemostasis and thrombosis
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Clinical Immunology
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Histocompatibility &
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Audiology
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Autonomic neurovascular function
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Cardiac physiology
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Clinical perfusion science
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Critical care science
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Gastrointestinal physiology
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Neurophysiology
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Ophthalmic and vision science
Respiratory physiology
Urodynamic science
Vascular science
Bioinformatics
Genomics and Clinical Bioinformatics
Health Informatics
Pathology •
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Biomedical Engineering
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Biomechanical engineering
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Clinical measurement &
Development
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Clinical Pharmaceutical Science
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Diagnostic radiology & MR physics
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Equipment management & clinical engineering
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Medical electronics & instrumentation
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Medical engineering design
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Clinical photography
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Nuclear medicine
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Radiation protection & monitoring
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Radiotherapy physics
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Reconstructive Science
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Rehabilitation engineering
Renal dialysis technology
Ultrasound & non-ionising radiation immunogenetics
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Histopathology
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Microbiology
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Molecular pathology of
50+ scientific professions delivering over 150 different services that cost the
NHS approximately £8bn.
The workforce of 55,000 informs 80% of all diagnoses and is involved in the delivery of over 1 billion tests and investigations per annum.
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• www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
Phlebotomy
They have multiple impacts on all patient pathways through the specialist twitter.com/HENorthWest

How do we keep a HCS network focused for 10 years?
• Clear vision for what you want to achieve
• Align work-streams to regional and national priorities
• Clear roles and responsibilities for network members
• Engage the entire HCS workforce – regular communication
• Work together and find leaders www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Vision
The Vision for Healthcare Science in the North West is to have an innovative workforce integral to multi-professional teams delivering safe, high quality patient care in a range of settings ensuring the patient is at the heart of all we do.
The Healthcare Science workforce will also deliver excellence in knowledge creation , innovation and service improvement by leading and embracing research and development, continually evaluating clinical practice and care delivery models.
Nov 2013 www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
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Communicate HCS network priorities
• To promote, support, consult with and enable the healthcare science workforce to influence key stakeholders locally, regionally and nationally
• To deliver on national priorities for Health Education England, NHS
England and PHE (board membership to reflect this)
• To develop a culture of research and development across all teams and to drive innovation, technology adoption and diffusion
• To disseminate best practice locally, regionally and nationally
• To support healthcare scientists to be exceptional leaders
• To utilise expert knowledge of HCS
• To ensure HCS have the right skills, values and behaviours and are flexible and adaptable www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Define a structure to operate
KEY stakeholders
HEE / Health
Education North
West
NW Healthcare
Science Network /
Workforce Board
NW HCS Trainees
Network Board and
Network
STP Training
Managers Group
Organisational Lead
Scientists www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Why did we need a HCS trainee network and board?
MSC changed the way we trained our new scientists - needed a fresh approach to how we worked with them during their training
• Nurture their talent
• Develop their leadership potential
• Hear what was good and bad about training in the North West
• Help them understand the NHS and it’s priorities
• Allow them to network together and develop links away from HCS
• Allow them to be creative and innovative
• Celebrate their successes
• Watch them develop into confident, successful scientists making a difference to patient care www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
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Designing welcome packs www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
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Network work-streams
• ESR recoding of HCS across all NW Trusts
• MSC implementation - collaborating with Manchester Academy for
Healthcare Science Education (MAHSE)
• Multi-prof Research and Innovation group
• Workforce Transformation – looking at new roles for HCS
• Leadership Development – bespoke leadership programme for senior
HCS and introduction to leadership days for all trainees
• Greater Manchester Local Area Team – Healthier Together programme
(GM service transformation of urgent and emergency care) www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Network work-streams
• Supporting the 32 Organisational Lead Scientists and their local HCS networks
• STEM HCS Ambassador scheme / HCS week
• NW Coast AHSN – Genomics
• Update the NW HCS service directory for 2015
• New ECG course - run by Cardiac Physiology teams at UHSM /
CMFT open to all professionals (GP’s / AHP’s etc ) www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Delivering diagnostic testing and support in the community…
• David Ramage – Medical Illustration – LTHTR
Diabetic retinal screening clinics from Preston North End FC health centre.
• Gilbert Weiringa - Pathology – Bolton FT
Q.A. service for high street cholesterol testing, includes over 1500 pharmacists, supermarkets and GP surgeries
• Paul Blackett – Medical Engineering – LTHTR
Servicing and repairing medical devices in outlying health centres, clinics, prisons
• Maxine Lang – Lancashire Cardiac Care
Satellite clinics at GP practices for ECG / Ambulatory monitoring www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Continued…..
• Debbie Whittle – Neurophysiology -SRFT
Technician led nerve conduction service at Bolton One Community Health
Services
• Dave Edwards – Critical Care - CMFT
Adult ICU transferring of patients into community on mechanical ventilation into nursing homes – training staff
• Pat Clough – Audiology – SRFT
Providing hearing services at 3 community centres in Salford and working with Adult Services for patient care in the home
• Stuart Wragg – Respiratory Physiology – Aintree
Spirometry services out in health centres for the CCG COPD team www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

The future is already here…..Award winning team!
• Keith Pearce (Organisational Lead Scientist / Consultant Cardiac
Physiologist / GM chair of the network ) - Cardiac Physiology – UHSM
Advancing Healthcare Awards overall winner 2014
(a first for healthcare scientists!)
Delivering Community Diagnostics - Rapid Access Functional
Imaging
STP trainee working with GMAHSN on AF project
PTP trainee is chair of trainees network and won rising star award at CSO conference 2014
Senior staff been on leadership development programme
Senior staff working with MAHSE
Designed and delivering new multi-prof ECG course across organisations www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Scientific Project Leads objectives -
Healthcare Science Transforming the system
SCIENTIFIC LEADERSHIP & EXPERTISE
Inconsistent advice
Scientific advice and leadership integrated across health & care in a structured way
QUALITY, SAFETY AND IMPROVEMENT
Variable quality
Consistent accredited services striving for continued improvement
COMMISSIONING AND DELIVERY
Ad-hoc commissioning
Clear commissioning frameworks and plans, coordinated with workforce
STEM & INNOVATION
Poor identification & adoption of technology www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest
Rigorous horizon-scanning linked to effective implementation pathways

• Review the hcs networks across the North / linking them to key work programmes
• Support the SD role
• Support Damian Riley / Jane Dunning with
NHS England priorities e.g. 7DS, AHSN’s, role of diagnostics in Primary Care, cancer targets
• Support Sue Hill with other key projects e.g. metrics in NHS England business plan www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Summary
HCS Networks are key to ensuring
• An engaged , energised and forward thinking HCS workforce
• Sharing best practice to drive innovation
• Breaking down professional barriers
• Developing visionary leaders
• Promoting our unique contribution to patient care
• Visibility to all stakeholders
• “One Voice” to be heard across NHS
• HCS week 2015 - make sure you raise your profile
Get involved!
www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest

Contact
• Helen Liggett
North West Healthcare Science Workforce
Lead
Helen.liggett@srft.nhs.uk
• Website www.nwhcs.nhs.uk
www.nw.hee.nhs.uk
twitter.com/HENorthWest