Subject: EMAHSN News – February 2014
Dear colleague,
I’m emailing to update you about the work of the East Midlands Academic Health Science
Network. I hope it provides a brief snapshot of our work with partners across the region, and
also provides an update about topics discussed at our board meetings.
Please forward this email to anyone you think would like to know more about our work.
Future updates will include an opportunity to subscribe / unsubscribe to this general update,
and to the other tailored communications we are developing – however, for the time being
please reply to this email if you would prefer not to receive our updates.
Best wishes,
Rachel
Key updates
Looking forward to 2014/15
We are currently identifying your priority issues, projects and programmes for the year
ahead – thanks to all partners, organisations and individuals who have contributed to this
process over the past year as we have been developing our initial business plan. Following
positive feedback from NHS England about our progress to date, our future priorities will of
course build on our existing clinical priorities and partnership working including, assessment
for frail older people, stroke rehabilitation, mental health, public health approaches to obesity
and patient and public involvement; we are exploring work in cancer and diabetes too. We
also want to ensure we are able to support some of your emerging priorities in the next year,
and plan to run a competition to identify new ideas that are evidence-based and ready to
implement.
Our next newsletter will have more detail, but in the meantime if you have any ideas that are
not reflected here please email us at emahsn@nottingham.ac.uk
‘Chill out’ with new research support initiative
EMAHSN is funding a major initiative that will help East Midlands health organisations
synthesize research from multiple sources – providing the evidence on which to build rapid
service improvements. The project, coordinated by the Centre for Health Innovation,
Leadership and Learning (CHILL) will be pleased to accept requests from member
organisations in the East Midlands for evidence base reviews, and will pull together the
research from a range of sources to provide a summary of evidence for the commissioning
organisation. The initiative has already been directed to support local Clinical
Commissioning Groups in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. This piece of work – which
provided the CCGs with the evidence base to develop a CQUIN measurement for care
transitions for older people – was turned around in seven weeks.
Dr Cheryl Crocker, Director of Quality and Patient Safety and Executive Nurse for The
Nottingham North and East, Nottingham West and Rushcliffe CCGs said: “Improving quality
of care must be rooted in evidence and this initiative was instrumental in providing an
evidence base for the development of a CQUIN around the transfer of care. We know this is
a vulnerable time for patients and the support we received has helped the CCGs drive up
the quality of care.”
Keep a lookout in our next newsletter for more about this project, and please get in touch if
you have an area in which a similar review might be helpful. More information:
emma.rowley@nottingham.ac.uk
Exploring the EU’s potential
EMAHSN Managing Director Rachel Munton recently joined a fact finding visit with 20 NHS
leaders to Brussels. A key theme was the significant potential for NHS leaders to help shape
and influence decisions taken by the EU and to get to grips with applying for funds from new
funding streams such as ‘Horizon 2020’ - the biggest EU research and innovation
programme ever, with nearly 80 billion Euros available between now and 2020. To find out
more see Rachel’s blog.
Programme updates
Frail Older People – Website
Our Frail Older People programme is set to launch a dedicated website shortly. The site will
aim to provide best practice information, share ideas and debate via an active forum facility.
More information: john.gladman@nottingham.ac.uk
Stroke Rehabilitation - Commissioners’ Event
The experiences of stroke survivors’ six month reviews were shared at a regional event on
12 February at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham. It was an early
opportunity for East Midlands Clinical Commissioning Groups and others to come together
to consider ways to improve care for stroke survivors. A DVD has been produced with
guidance to support commissioners, ensuring consistency of patient care with a step by step
guide showing why the six month review is so vital and how it should be delivered. This will
allow commissioners to make informed decisions for their areas about the provision of
services. The research undertaken so far by the team, headed by Professor Marion Walker
MBE of Nottingham University, is ensuring that evidenced-based stroke care will be spread
not only regionally, but adopted nationally. More information:
rebecca.fisher@nottingham.ac.uk
Key role for Rachel Munton
Rachel Munton has been elected Chair of the Network of Networks - the national group
made up of the managing directors of all 15 AHSNs. It meets regularly to ensure the
Networks are sharing best practice and pooling their resources and expertise to effect
system-wide change, not just in their regions but also nationally.
Appointments
Welcome to our independent board members
The EMAHSN has appointed two independent Board members. EMAHSN Chair Martin
Hindle is pictured (centre) welcoming David Mell and Janet Worrell to their first Board
meeting, which took place at Glenfield Hospital on 11 February. David from Stathern in
Leicestershire and Janet Worrell from Nottingham will play a key role in supporting the
Network to tackle the major health issues that affect the lives of our 4.5m residents across
the East Midlands.
Online and Digital Updates
EMAHSN new website coming soon
Our new interactive website will be launched in March. As well as providing background on
our projects, programmes and priorities the site will develop into a regional portal for
innovation in health care, signposting key stakeholders and helping raise awareness of the
good work being coordinated by all our partners.
We’re tweeting and blogging!
Martin Hindle and Rachel Munton have both launched blogs. Martin and Rachel will be
posting regular updates about health and innovation issues from around the UK and further
afield. You can also follow the EMAHSN and Rachel on Twitter: @EM_AHSN and
@RachelMunton
Patient and Public Involvement – Public Face newsletter
Are you subscribed to the Public and Patient newsletter Public Face? Hundreds of
subscribers have already signed up to this regular newsletter from the EMAHSN, which is an
excellent source of information on all issues related to public and patient involvement. More
information: peter.bates@nottingham.ac.uk
Events and Diary Dates
NHS Expo takes place on 3 and 4 March in Manchester and AHSNs from around the
country will be sharing a conference area; we hope to see you there, visit the event website
for more details.
One of this year’s Expo highlights will be an invitation-only event on 3 March hosted by
Imperial College Surgeon Professor Lord Ara Darzi focusing on translational research,
population health and education and training. The session will be attended by 150 health
leaders from around the world and will include a panel discussion featuring our MD Rachel
Munton. If you are already attending Expo on 3 March, we have three tickets to offer
newsletter readers for this invitation only event, available on a first-come-first-served basis –
contact: emma.hales@nottingham.ac.uk
East Midlands Clinical Senate Population Healthcare Events - during March and April
Professor Sir Muir Gray will lead three key events bringing together clinicians to develop a
shared foundation for delivering transformational change. More information:
england.eastmidlandsclinicalsenate@nhs.net
NHS Change Day takes place on 3 March. Individuals and organisations are encouraged to
pledge an action that improves patient outcomes. EMAHSN’s Rachel Munton will be
supporting the initiative by pledging to mentor budding future NHS leaders throughout the
year, including those from black and minority ethnic groups who are still underrepresented at
the most senior levels in the NHS.
CLAHRC East Midlands is officially launched today (14 February) at an event in
Loughborough. We are looking forward to continuing our work and partnerships going
forward.
Nursing Technology Fund - The first round of applications have closed, but you can
register an expression of interest for the next 12 months by completing this form by 26
February. The fund supports nurses, midwives and health visitors to make better use of
digital technology in care settings.
Research Funding Seminars - The Research Design Service East Midlands provides
information and support to clinicians and academics who are seeking funding for Health
Service Research. As part of this provision they are offering three free seminars across the
region – register here
… and finally, please think of the EMAHSN whenever you hear about, develop or get
involved with projects that focus on new and innovative ways to improve patient care,
experience or outcomes. Let us know what’s happening and we can help spread your good
news. You can email emahsn@nottingham.ac.uk for the attention of Chris Taylor or Lucy
Hose or tweet us at @EM_AHSN