Scottish Clinical Biochemistry Network

Innovation & Demand Optimisation Subgroup

Chair: Dr Sara Jenks, Consultant Clinical Biochemist (NHS Lothian)

Vice-Chair: Dr Julia Anderson, Consultant Clinical Scientist (NHS Dumfries & Galloway)

The Innovation and Demand Optimisation group was established in November 2015 in response to the recognition that there is a need for a co-ordinated approach from the Biochemistry network to innovation across NHS Boards in Scotland. The remit of the innovation subgroup is to encourage and facilitate innovation in biochemistry practice across Scotland, which will improve clinical care and effective use of resources. This would include provision of expert advice about diagnostic tests to support the decision making process, linking with innovation champions, and ensuring communication across the network on projects within NHS Boards to enable a ‘once for Scotland ‘ approach. Its purpose is to enable improved and quicker implementation of innovative processes that improve the quality of healthcare and utilise resources effectively across Scotland. The Demand Optimisation work stream has been incorporated into the innovation sub group. It was established in 2012 to support and encourage the appropriate use of diagnostic testing and to reduce unnecessary waste and variation in Clinical Biochemistry practice across Scotland.

Aims

  • provision of expert advice about innovative diagnostic tests/pathways to support the decision making process.
  • forging links and collaborating with innovation champions, industry and the wider innovation community in order to facilitate the adoption of innovative solutions.
  • developing demand optimisation guidance and promoting its implementation across the SCBN
  • ensuring communication across the network on projects within NHS Boards and a co-ordinated approach to innovation in Biochemistry to enable a ‘once for Scotland’  approach, maximise use of resources and minimise variation across Health Boards.
  • developing and supporting a national approach to innovation in primary care. The NHS is challenged with a growing range of tests within primary care and POCT in primary care is likely to progress with the change in focus of the NHS from hospitals to primary/community care described in the National Clinical Strategy for Scotland 2016.

The aims of the Innovation and Demand Optimisation Group align with the Scottish Government vision for Scotland to become a world leading centre for innovation in health through partnership working between Government, NHS Scotland, industry and the research community and recommendations in the 2015 SCBMDN Shared Service document.

Future Plans

  • Link with NDOG
  • We are rationalising the Urea and Electrolyte (U&E) profile, urea has recently been removed from primary care & bicarbonate will only be part of the profile for specific hospital locations.
  • Please click on the link which highlights the work undertaken by the different NHS Boards to improve the management of diabetic patients.
  • Network Innovation Dashboard: This aims to showcase innovative practice in diagnostic services across Scotland.  This is with a view to share knowledge and best practice across the Scottish diagnostic community and beyond.

If you would like to contribute to this page or request further information about innovation, please email us on nss.scbn@nhs.scot and we will be happy to help.

Links/Resources

SHTG: The Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) is an advisory group set up to provide assistance to NHSScotland when considering selected health technologies, excluding medicines which will be reviewed by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg.aspx. The remit of the SHTG is to provide advice on the evidence about the clinical and cost effectiveness of existing and new technologies likely to have significant implications for patient care in Scotland. This advice should support the planning and decision making processes in NHS boards. If you would like to refer a technology to SHTG, then please complete a topic referral form [link: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg/suggest_a_topic.aspx] and return to shtg.hcis@nhs.net.

IMTO: SHTG also seeks to encourage health technology assessment (HTA) of innovative technologies.  SHTG’s Innovative Medical Technology Overview (IMTO) process offers a ‘lighter-touch’ HTA of the relevant strengths and weaknesses of the evidence surrounding a technology, specifically in relation to the following: product performance, economic considerations, safety, organisational and patient issues.  More details  – along with an IMTO referral form – can be found here http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/technologies_and_medicines/shtg/shtg_publications/imto.aspx