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Strategic Priority 3

The Trust will implement the Velindre Innovation Plan

 

7. Velindre Innovation Service

7.1 Summary of Quarters 1 through 3

  • RITA - RITA launched on the Velindre website homepage in February 2023, with usage and performance metrics being collected to inform further development and prepare for an evaluation in phase 3 of the project. Sub-project ‘talking heads’ has also been implemented within the platform, providing patients and their families with information about their clinicians, available in both Welsh and English. RITA was presented virtually at the Cancer Research UK team away day in October 2023, which focused on the use of AI in supporting cancer patients, and the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS) annual conference in November 2023.
  • By Your Side (BYS) – In collaboration with Pfizer Oncology, BYS aims to provide Velindre patients with a ready-made cancer management application that will contain localised Velindre cancer centre information. The proposal was presented to EMB in February 2023 and a DPIA has been drafted along with contractual arrangements, but both are on hold until the status of the NHS Wales App has been determined.
  • Better Faster Sooner - Hybrid showcase event was held at the National Imaging Academy Wales in May 2023, with representatives from across all 3 cancer centres presenting their work along with contributions from Canada and the Clatterbridge. This event saw 50 in-person and 15 online attendees. The Team is exploring potential future opportunities through the Advancing Radiotherapy Cymru programme.
  • Regional Innovation Coordination Hubs (RICH) – Funding has been secured for the period 2023/24 and additional funding for 2024/25 has been confirmed to support the continuation of the RIC hub activities.
  • Innovation Award Scheme - An innovation award scheme is being developed to support the building of the innovation infrastructure and to enable and encourage innovation activity across the Trust.  The application documents have been drafted and submitted to the Velindre Charity.
  • Welsh Blood Service (WBS) Drone Project - Following the reinstatement of regular meetings, a collaborative bid was submitted in December 2023 to UK Research & Innovation (URKI), via a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) bid.  The bid aims to enhance medical supply chain resilience using drones and in February 2024 the project Team received confirmation that the bid was successful. 
  • Welsh Blood Capital Funding - Successful capital funding bid for innovative laboratory equipment – awarded by Welsh Government Economy Team – for the Project title: ‘Establishing Microfluidic Technology at the Welsh Blood Service’.

7.2 RITA

Phase 3 of development is underway with the goal of increasing engagement prior to conducting an evaluation in the next quarter. The project team is looking into how RITA can support the treatment helpline in navigating / signposting / answering the questions they receive outside of the scope of the treatment helpline service.

IBM Cloud Functions is discontinuing on 30 June 2024, which will affect the in‑built Welsh translator service, the team is working closely with IBM to prevent disruption to the service.  

The Innovation Team is working with Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), Swansea University, and Wales Institute of Digital Information (WIDI) to evaluate the RITA chatbot and inform next steps for the project.

7.3 ByYourSide - localising Pfizer's Global Patient Cancer App

The Innovation team is liaising with the Trust Digital Team and with DHCW in respect of the timelines for the NHS Patient App, to get an update on the development status, functionality, and timeline for launch to ensure there is no duplication between applications.  A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) has been drafted along with contractual arrangements, but both are on hold until the status of the NHS Wales App has been determined.

7.4 Asset Tracking / Audit Software

The Innovation team has engaged in early discussions with the operational services team to discuss a potential project around asset tracking / audit software for medical devices, initially contained to a small pilot utilising wheelchairs as a feasibility study.

This project is now archived; Velindre Cancer Centre (VCC) digital services identified potential barriers to implementing this software due to the current VCC infrastructure. However, this technology is still being explored by the Trust Digital Team with a view to deploy in new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC). 

7.5 Innovation Platform (pipeline idea capture)

SimplyDo is a platform that will enable the innovation team to capture, prioritise and action pipeline ideas in a centralised platform. There is scope under the existing contract and licensing arrangements with WBS and the SimplyDo Platform provider, (WBS is piloting the platform for the 5-minute improvement project). Governance requirements have been checked and arrangements for the innovation development work are within scope and no further action is required.

7.6 Pelvic Radiotherapy App

The innovation team has been approached by Radiographer Daniel Burr to develop an application that would assist pelvic radiotherapy (RT) patients with the timing of water intake and enemas. This project is currently on hold while the team obtains baseline data on how many RT appointments are missed due to this issue and the costs associated with those missed appointments. Further information is being sought to collect baseline evidence / need requirements for review.

7.7 Better, Faster, Sooner

Project outcomes were presented by Dr Mick Button and the team at the Bevan Commission Planned Care Innovation Programme event held in Swansea on 20 September 2023. However, there have been barriers to implementing the service as Business As Usual (BAU) across all 3 organisations. Within VCC, there are no active plans from Radiotherapy departments to progress advanced practice opportunities for radiographers related to palliative radiotherapy. Palliative Radiotherapy will continue to be delivered through a medically led model, including the Radiotherapy Satellite Centre. The Team is exploring potential future opportunities through the Advancing Radiotherapy Cymru programme.

7.8 Acute Cancer Treat at Home (ACTAH)

ACTAH project sought to develop a new service that utilises home visits to manage acute oncology patients experiencing an acute episode in collaboration with Cardiff and Vale Health Board (CVUHB). CVUHB are not in a position to proceed with the project at this time and the project will be archived.

7.9 Regional Innovation Coordination Hubs (RICH)

Funding has been secured for the period 2023/24 and additional funding for 2024/25 has been confirmed to support the continuation of the Regional Innovation Coordination (RIC) hub activities. Following a meeting with Welsh Government officials, the RIC 2-year activity plan was endorsed, and quarterly updates have subsequently provided to Welsh Government.

7.10 Innovation award scheme

An innovation award scheme is being developed to support the building of the innovation infrastructure and to enable and encourage innovation activity across the Trust.  The application documents are being drafted and will be shared for approval before submission to the Velindre charity.

7.11 Welsh Blood Service (WBS) Drone Project

The purpose of this foundation study is to:

  • Establish the potential for drone-based delivery services to support the Welsh NHS, including specific use cases for the Welsh Blood Service.
  • Test the basic premise with the Civil Aviation Authority.
  • Identify the roadmap and critical tasks that will allow us to realise the longer-term vision.

The organisations involved in this partnership are the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust (WAST), The Welsh Blood Service (WBS), Snowdonia Aerospace (SAC) SLiNKTECH Ltd. (SLiNK), The Welsh Air Ambulance and the Welsh Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer service (EMRTS), collectively referred to as the Welsh Health Drone Innovation Partnership.

Following the reinstatement of regular meetings, a collaborative bid was submitted in December 2023 to UK Research & Innovation (URKI), via a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) bid.  The bid aims to enhance medical supply chain resilience using drones. The project would seek to address the commercial and business integration challenges of utilising drones to enhance the Welsh NHS supply chain resilience.

7.12 Innovation activity themes

Innovation Activity Themes (1-5) – A focussed effort developing activity themes as part of the innovation infrastructure

7.12.1 Theme 1: Developing a collaborative innovation ecosystem

Our vision includes building a collaborative innovation ecosystem where staff, healthcare providers, researchers, academia, industry, patients, donors, and community partners work seamlessly together to drive innovation, address healthcare disparities, and create healthier communities. We are building an ecosystem that supports and strengthens the capability and capacity for the Trust to innovate.  This includes the internal and external infrastructure and specifically the development of a Collaborative Centre for Learning and Innovation (CCLI).  The CCLI aims to improve whole system cancer care through collaboratively accelerating cancer research, innovation education and involvement.  Providing a virtual and physical space to encourage creativity, collaboration, and knowledge exchange with practical and positive impact on cancer care for all those involved.

Activity in the period includes:

  • Developing blueprint for working with Industry developing products for market to benefit patients and donors and improve resource efficiency.  This is collaboration with Welsh Government.  Project set up with Life Science Hub Wales and MediWales to facilitate engagement exercise with staff, Industry and partners to develop a blueprint for working collaboratively.

7.12.2 Theme 2: Developing a culture of innovation

We are dedicated to fostering a culture where every member of our organisation is empowered, informed, and supported to innovate, experiment, and embrace change, making innovation a way of life rather than an isolated event.

  • Work is underway to develop a platform / pipeline capture for innovation ideas and projects. Staff attended a meeting with Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board to review their innovation platform. 
  • Internal meetings were held in January and February to consider options and take the project forward on a Trust level, working in collaboration with innovation and improvement teams across the Blood Service and Cancer Centre.
  • A first meeting with Simply Do platform provider took place in March to set out the scope for the project.

7.12.3 Theme 3: Clear communication and recognition

We are committed to delivering clear communications to support the capability and capacity building for research and Innovation of the Trust. Recognising the efforts of our staff, patients, donors, community, funders partners and stakeholders; and reinforcing our Trust culture of innovation.

  • Work is ongoing to update and develop the Trust web and intranet innovation pages, to increase/improve communications shared across the Trust and externally with partners. Communications materials have been developed which will also support this theme. This work is continuing, and arrangements are under review to support the translation needs for the website and other supporting literature.
  • Trust Communications have been developed to encourage applications to the Moondance Awards. A panel was set up to review and support applications. 
  • Work has been initiated to communicate a clear and compelling narrative that explains the importance of innovation in improving cancer care, diagnosis, treatment, and research outcomes. Project meetings have been initiated to review comms, patient, and staff engagement for innovation.
  • Work is ongoing to explore the concept of a Charter for innovation and collaboration. This work is running in parallel with the Ministerial roundtable work that took place early in the year.

7.12.4 Theme 4: Patient and donor centred excellence

We aspire to redefine patient and donor-centred care, placing patients and donors at the heart of every decision, ensuring their voices are heard, and tailoring healthcare experiences to their unique needs and preferences.

  • Plans are in train to build upon the patient engagement work from the early phase of the RITA chatbot development. Media clips will be uploaded to the website and intranet to reflect patient feedback and their concerns about visiting the cancer centre for the first time.
  • Engagement work is ongoing with patient / donor experience teams. Our innovation activity will be informed by patient and donors, ensuring their voices are heard, and tailoring healthcare experiences and initiatives to their unique needs and preferences.
  • Work is underway to develop the workstream to review and analyse patient /donor engagement feedback specifically in relation to the chatbot RITA, other workstreams to be identified through regular project meetings.
  • We continue to collaborate with Trust engagement teams to develop an enhanced environment for patient representatives, one that provides a more fulfilling experience for the time and commitment provided.  This work is being picked up as part of the engagement meetings.

7.12.5 Theme 5: Leadership and role modelling

As a University Designated Organisation – Senior Leadership are committed to sponsoring key initiatives and novel projects and ensuring that Research, Development, Learning and Education opportunities are enabled and reflected in job roles and responsibilities.

  • Leaders and senior managers have been encouraged to actively participate and promote innovation initiatives and opportunities.  To take this work stream forward a small grant scheme is being developed to support this theme and to build the infrastructure for innovation.  This has been submitted to the Velindre Charity Board for appraisal.
  • In the period the Innovation Team continues to attend a number of events to promote and support innovation activity, attend, and schedule one-to-one meetings with staff to raise awareness of innovation activity, and have supported the development of ideas and innovative ways of working, signposting activities, applications for awards and funding.

Innovation activity themes (6-10)

To support the industry engagement work, a project Team is being pulled together including the Life Science Hub, MediWales and Velindre Innovation Team.  Working collectively to develop an approach for working with Industry to identify solutions that can support ‘doing things differently’ to deliver better outcomes.  This workstream will bolster activity for themes 6-8.

7.12.6 Theme 6: Advance technology integration

Our approach to harness the power of cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, telemedicine, wearable devices, and data analytics, to optimise treatment, inform diagnostics and preventative care, making services more accessible and efficient.  The Partner engagement work will inform how we can develop our approach on this theme.

7.12.7 Theme 7: Data driven insights

Leveraging data as a strategic asset, using it to inform our innovation activities and efforts. A Trust lead for Digital Insights has been appointed and are working together to explore collaboration opportunities.  Working with VBHC lead to inform and prioritise workstreams for innovation.

7.12.8 Theme 8: Health equity and inclusion

Our commitment extends to achieving health equity and inclusion for all with a focus on addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.  Our innovations will strive to remove barriers to care and promote health equity and we are working closely with patient engagement Teams on our innovation workstreams. 

7.12.9 Theme 9: Empowerment and autonomy

Empowering employees by giving them the autonomy to propose and implement innovative ideas within their areas of expertise.  This theme is initially being taken forward through (theme 2), by building a platform to capture pipeline ideas from within the organisation.  In the meantime, a generic mailbox has been set up to receive innovative ideas and an innovation multidisciplinary panel is being formed to assess pipeline ideas.

7.12.10 Theme 10: Training and development

Innovation training is key to building the capability and capacity of the innovation infrastructure for the Trust.  It will equip staff with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to drive innovation, improve patient and donor care, and adapt our delivery and approaches to the changing innovation landscape.  It helps create a culture where innovation is not just encouraged but also effectively implemented for the benefit of our patients and donors. 

  • This work stream is ongoing and a collaboration with the Innovation Leads across Wales and is providing case study material for the development of an e module for Velindre and more broadly for NHS Wales.
  • Innovation case studies from across NHS Wales are being shortlisted to be filmed.  Some examples will be used for the e‑learning module and others will be retained for future resource development.
  • Additionally, induction training is being developed via a collaborative project between Velindre NHS Trust, Digital Health and Care Wales and University of Wales, Trinity Saint David. The training package for innovation when complete will include the e‑module, induction training and toolbox talks package to support learning materials so that a holistic approach to innovation training can be provided on a Trust‑wide basis.