1. West Midlands Academic Health Science Network
Tony Davis
West Midlands AHSN

2. Background
Innovation, Health & Wealth – published December 11 set out a plan for spreading innovation through the NHS
Focus that innovation is vital in order to transform healthcare
Aim to rapidly spread change to improve quality, safety and productivity

3. Role and purpose of AHSNs
Improve the identification, adoption, spread, speed of innovation and good practice in the NHS
Provide the opportunity to align education and training, clinical research, informatics, innovation and healthcare delivery
Enable the NHS and academia to work collaboratively with industry
Overall purpose to improve patient outcomes and create wealth
Succeed where others have not

4. West Midlands - background
5.6m diverse population
Inequality in health outcomes and healthcare delivery
Academic & clinical excellence, established regional networks and collaborations
Industrial heritage that will drive wealth creation

5. WM AHSN aims
To transform the identification, adoption and spread of innovation and good practice
To align healthcare delivery, research, education and training
To drive wealth creation through the development of a regional industry portal enabling access to the NHS, driving adoption and publishing evaluation
To improve outcomes

6. Strategy & vision – 6 enabling themes
Develop a novel and comprehensive digital framework
Establish regional clinical trials platforms - support for acceleration, reducing bureaucracy, improving efficiency and cost effectiveness
To promote and accelerate innovation, evaluation and adoption
To drive and develop patient-centric integrated care pathways - bridging primary, secondary & social care
Focus on education & training - delivering a fit for purpose workforce in partnership with HEWM
To create wealth - proactive support for regional medical technology industry engagement

7. Initial focus on 3 clinical priorities
Mental health
In the young
Dementia (carers, community management)
Long Term Conditions
Diabetes & obesity
Musculoskeletal disease
Drug safety
From hospital to primary care
Reducing prescribing errors across the region

8. Organisations involved in AHSN development to date
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
University of Birmingham
Keele University
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
University Hospital North Staffordshire NHS Trust
University of Warwick
Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
West Midlands South CLRN
Medilink West Midlands

9. Organisation & governance
MEMBERS
ownership and overall responsibility for the AHSN
STAKEHOLDERS & PARTNERS
sector cohesion via stakeholder reference groups
BOARD
leadership, strategy & assurance Independent Chair
EXECUTIVE
responsibility for the execution and delivery of the strategy

11. AHSN board Chair MD COO Spoke chairs x 3 HEIs x 3
MH / community trust CEO
Commercial representative
LETB (non voting)
CRN (non voting)

12. AHSN Commissioning and Senate Reference Group
Patients and Carers Reference Group
Wider Stakeholder Group - LA, 3rd Sector
Commercial & Industry Reference Group

13. Current position
Designated without condition on 13th May 2013 (7 of the 15 AHSNs had conditions)
£5.09 million funding for 2013/14 – given in two parts
Ensuring organisational form is fit for purpose with processes, structures and governance in place in order to be effective
Stakeholder events for each theme and each spoke
Defining our programmes of work and deliverables for each theme

14. “It must be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor more difficult to manage than a new system. For the initiator has the challenge of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institution and merely lukewarm defenders in those who gain by the new ones. ”
Machiavelli

15. Our hope 5 years on…
To have an integrated & innovative health network – not just in words
To be the first UK regional digital healthcare economy
To be the known place for industry for NHS access, evaluation and adoption
To be significantly on the road to reversing health inequality and to have significantly improved outcomes for the region

16. “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.”
Charles Darwin

17. Questions?