Kate Burnett, Head of School, Physician Associates Scheme, Health Education England

@NHSHEE_Nwest

The health service struggles to value and empower its workforce, but a new breed of healthcare professional – the physician associate – may be at least part of the solution. Physician associates work to the medical model and the skills and attitude they bring may deliver tangible improvements in care.

Dr Sarah Sibley, Clinical Lead Community Respiratory Service, Liverpool Heart and Chest NHS Foundation Trust

@DrSarahSibley1

Estimates suggest that the lives of up to 234 patients with respiratory disease in Cheshire and Merseyside could be saved each year by doing things slightly differently. Physician associates add flexibility to the workforce and can help in both the primary and secondary settings, moving between the two according to the time of year.

Janet Davies, Programme Lead, Technology Enabled Care, Healthy Lancashire and South Cumbria

@JanetDavies1

An NHS Test Bed in Lancashire and South Cumbria shows that a combination of digital and traditional care for respiratory patients can be highly effective. However, one size does not fit all, patients benefit most from personalised care plans, and giving patients information in a variety of ways increased their ability to manage their condition.

Dr Binita Kane, Health Innovation Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, speaking at the Innovation Agency's 21st Ecosystem event. 

The devolution project in Greater Manchester allowed for a reassessment of priorities. Health Innovation Manchester worked with health and care and industry partners to determine those priorities: the system agreed that a radical shift was needed in how COPD patients are managed and a move from doctor-centric secondary care models to continuous community-based team support.

Alison Smith, RN, and Emma James, RN, Wirral Community NHS Foundation Trust

@wirrallct

Teletriage is a 24-hour system offering clinical support to care homes. Its benefits are clear, and include a 78 per cent reduction in NHS 111 calls from care homes. Care home feedback has also been positive, with 93 per cent of staff saying its use has improved the care experience for residents.

Peter Almond, Programme Manager, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust 

@Mersey_Care

While telehealth has only recently been introduced in the Mersey Care area, patient-reported outcomes are promising: there has been a 40 per cent reduction in the need to visit hospital or a GP. Now a new model of provision sees community matrons, care home staff and GPs joining forces to deliver better care. 

Rachael Forbister, TECS Programme Manager

@RForbister

A number of initiatives, including the introduction of the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) assessment in care homes, and the use of the ‘blue box’ toolkit, has prompted a significant fall in the number of non-elective hospital admissions in Sunderland.

Colin Capper, Head of Research Development and Evaluation, Alzheimer’s Society

@CapperColin

Involving care homes in research may help reduce the lag between breakthroughs in the lab and the adoption of new technology on the front line. We also hear about Jelly Drops, sweets that contain 90 per cent water that can keep people with dementia hydrated.