A5: Learning from examples on the importance of design and evaluation
in enhancing the effectiveness of quality improvement work


Thursday 11 April 2024 | 11:00-12:15


Format: Presentation


Stream: Science


Content filters: n/a


Jonathan Burlison St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, USA (Chair)


PART 1: Bridging the divide between research and practice for real world, sustainable impact


The evaluation of the NHS-VMI partnership offers a trailblazing example of the role and value of evaluating improvement interventions and crucially, how to create shared learning from evaluation with policymakers, practitioners and academics around the world. Improvement interventions are often undertaken without formal evaluation, and even when evaluation has taken place, lessons are rarely shared in an accessible way. This session describes a unique and highly successful example of an evaluation, detailing how and why it informed policy, and how and why ‘lessons’ from the evaluation have been shared, engaged with, and acted upon by thousands of people across the world.


As a result of this session, participants will be able to:



  • Describe the role of evaluation and the importance of making findings (good and bad) accessible

  • Understand how agile methods compliment academic rigour to deliver relevant, timely and novel insights to inform practice in real-time

  • Design and lead an impact campaign that intentionally and systematically makes research findings accessible to practitioners and policy makers


Helen Bevan NHS Horizons, England


Nicola Burgess Warwick Business School, England


Wendy Korthuis-Smith Virginia Mason Institute, USA


Adam Sewell-Jones East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust


 


PART 2: Evaluating a new frontier: video consultations in urgent and emergency care


Since 2019, North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has piloted video consultations (VC), predominately to support non-time critical triages. NWAS’s evaluation team will present how they reigned in unfettered pilots, collaborated with improvement teams to develop others, and ultimately wrapped evaluation around the intertwined initiatives.


We will detail how a strong adherence to evaluation methodology was used to take stock of a complex healthcare situation, through to creating meaningful results to influence policy and create nationally relevant conclusions.


As a result of this session, participants will be able to:



  • Understand how VC was implemented and adopted, and its effect on the effectiveness of the technology

  • See how VC is utilised across the organisation

  • Discuss the benefit(s) VC brings to the organisation, clinician or patient

  • Consider the recommendations for future use of VC, and what adaptations, if any, are needed to support this


Ed Fulker North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, England