14.11.16
NHS reveals eight innovations to join fast-track adoption scheme
Patients are being encouraged to go to the pharmacist for a sore throat as part of a programme of new innovations set to join year two of the NHS Innovation Accelerator.
NHS England revealed that eight new health innovations will join the programme, which last year selected 17 innovations and supported their roll out across over 380 NHS organisations. Earlier this year, investment in the scheme increased from £1m to £8m.
One of the innovations is Sore Throat Test and Treat, a walk-in community pharmacy service where patients are tested to determine whether or not they need antibiotics. Sore Throat Test and Treat is intended to reduce the 1.2 million GP appointments currently made for sore throats. In August, the Community Pharmacy Forward Review published a report saying that the role of pharmacies should be “radically enhanced”.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “Necessity is the mother of invention, and health care worldwide is now fizzing with smart innovation.
“In the NHS, we’re now taking practical action to develop and fast track these new techniques into mainstream patient care.”
Dr Mahiben Maruthappu, co-founder of the NHS Innovation Accelerator and NHS England’s innovation adviser, added the technologies could “slash mortality rates and save the NHS millions”.
Another innovation is EpSMon, an epilepsy self-management tool which enables patients to monitor their wellbeing and know when to seek medical support. It is hoped that this tool will reduce premature deaths due to epilepsy, which is one of the top 10 causes of death for those under the age of 70 and the third main cause of maternal deaths in the UK. It also costs the country £1.5bn a year.
A third innovation, Serenity Integrated Mentoring, will embed specialist police officers within community mental health teams.
The NHS Innovation Accelerator is led by NHS England and delivered in partnership with the country’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks. It aims to meet the commitment in the Five Year Forward View to allow proven innovations to be adopted faster and more systematically through the NHS.
Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS England’s national medical director, who founded the programme, said: “With rising demand and escalating costs, innovation is not an option but a necessity if we are to build a sustainable NHS. The innovations selected for this programme have the potential to deliver better value for the taxpayer whilst making patient interactions with the NHS safer and more personal.”
Earlier this month, NHS England announced six medtech innovations which will have an accelerated national uptake under the new innovation and technology tariff.
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