1st place: Blood Borne Virus (BBV) Test

Falls are the most common cause of death from injury in the over 65s, accounting for 40% of ambulance call outs. Despite this, falls are not always dealt with in the most appropriate way, which can result in problems for the health and social care system. The pilot Project provides a truly collaborative approach to the problem, avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions and ensuring that patients are safe to remain at home, reducing pressure on both A and E departments and ambulance services.

The Innovators…

Joanna Donnelly, Occupational Therapist

Philippa Ellison-Rothwell, Occupational Therapist

Tripta Rathour, Occupational Therapist

Lesley Carr, Rapid Response Team Lead

Helen Kleiser, Falls Co-ordinator

David Puddy, Nikki Main, and Rob Livermore, Paramedics

Dan Haworth, Consultant Paramedic
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Lead Organisation: Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

2nd place - Cardiac Arrest Reduction Strategy

Cardiac arrests in hospital are normally attended by a cardiac arrest team of skilled individuals who have received appropriate training to ensure that they know how to respond.  Despite this, the survival rate is low, and it has remained so for the last fifty years.  The aim of the Project is to reduce the incidence of cardiac arrest calls within the Trust, thereby improving patient outcome and experience.  The Project began with a change in title from a ‘Resuscitation Service’ to a ‘Cardiac Arrest Prevention (CAP) Team’, in recognition of the fact that resuscitation often means that it is too late.  The focus of the CAP Team is the prevention of avoidable harm, to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients accessing healthcare in the Trust.

The Innovators:

Lisa Ward, Early Detection and Resuscitation Lead Nurse

Claire Stocks, Early Detection and Resuscitation Matron

The Cardiac Arrest Prevention Team, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Lead organisation: County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Community Nursing Sepsis Screening and Action Tool

Sepsis in the community is a significant problem, and there is a need for improved focus upon the early recognition and escalation of patients who are suspected to have the condition.  The Screening and Action Tool, which can be carried to patients’ homes by healthcare professionals in the community, as well as being used within clinics, assists with the recognition of the early symptoms of sepsis.  It facilitates quick action, addresses the keys questions to ask, and presents an escalation plan to follow if sepsis is suspected.

The Innovator:

Dorathy Oparaeche, Community Staff Nurse, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Lead organisation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Avoiding Falls Level of Observation Assessment Tool

The number of frail older people in hospital who are at risk of falling is increasing year on year.  This not only presents a significant safety issue, but also necessitates an unsustainable increase in resource in terms of one to one care.  AFLOAT (Avoiding Falls Level of Observation Assessment Tool) was developed by the team, with the aim of supporting ward nursing teams in the observation of patients at risk of falling.  Staff use AFLOAT to help them to decide the appropriate level of observation for the patient, and in this way, staff are made to feel more supported, without service users feeling that the observations are overly intrusive.

The Innovators:

David Dawson, Falls and Frailty Matron

Elaine Henderson, Director of Nursing

Dr Andrew Richardson, Falls Clinical Lead

Pippa Whitelaw, Gary Maltby, Shona Stafford Johnson, Doreen Hendrie and Joanne Turnbull,

Falls Specialist Nurses

Melanie Davidson, and Angela Dodds, Ward Managers

Lead organisation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with NHS Improvement Falls Collaborative

1st place - The KidzMed Project – Teaching Children to Swallow Tablet Medication

Families can become frustrated with liquid medicines, which often have short expiry dates, require refrigeration, are difficult to obtain from local pharmacies, can cause dental decay, and can be unpalatable.  Moreover, liquid medications can be difficult to dose and can also vary in concentration.  Tablet medications are safer, more convenient, and less expensive than liquid, yet children and young people (CYP) often remain on liquid medication due to habit and reluctance to convert.  The aim of the Project is to teach CYP on long term medication how to take tablet medication as an alternative to liquid medication.  An interactive training package has been developed, aiming to achieve a successful conversion rate and increase confidence.

The Innovators:

Yincent Tse, Consultant Paediatric Nephrologist

Nicola Vasey, Lead Paediatric Pharmacist

Ailsa Pickering, Senior Sister in Paediatric Infectious Disease

Emma Lim, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Disease

The Children and Young People’s Kidney Team, Great North Children’s Hospital, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Lead organisation: The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with Great North Children’s Foundation

2nd place - Prevention and Detection of Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care 

Type 2 Diabetes is a widespread disease, contributing to high levels of morbidity and mortality, as well as leading to high healthcare costs. However, there is strong evidence to indicate that Type 2 Diabetes can be prevented or delayed with inexpensive and simple lifestyle interventions. There are guidelines to assist with the identification of Type 2 Diabetes, but these can be complex.  The prevalence of the condition in Derwentside is high, and a general framework has been created, which allows healthcare organisations to integrate a new process into existing workflows, thereby facilitating the prevention and detection of Type 2 Diabetes.

The Innovator:

Dr Gareth Forbes, GP, Derwentside Healthcare Ltd The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with Public Health Durham County Council, NHS North Durham CCG, NHS England, County Durham Integrated Diabetes Board, North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS)

Telemedicine Home Visiting Service to Ease GP Workload and Workforce Pressures – North Cumbria CCG

It is estimated that 10% of contact with GPs takes place in patients’ homes, and with growing proportions of older people, coupled with a rise in the prevalence of chronic diseases in the elderly population, the demand for home visits is projected to increase.  There is therefore a need to make changes to the way that care is delivered, to ensure that precious resources are utilised in the best possible way. A new service has been developed, which facilitates a more efficient home visiting service for GP practices, allowing more patients to be seen, and at a lower cost than the current approaches available.

The Innovators:

Dr Stephen Katebe, General Practitioner, NHS North Cumbria CCG

Dr Omobolaji Iji, Co-Founder, Tekihealth Solutions

Adrian Smith, Head of Health Solutions, Satellite Applications Catapult

Lead organisation: Derwentside Healthcare Ltd, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Implementation of Direct Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae PCR screening for Peri-Operative ICCU patients

Enterobacteriaceae are a group of bacteria which can cause potentially life-threatening infections.  Although Carbapenems are broad spectrum antibiotics that are typically used for treating serious or life-threatening infections, Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) produce enzymes that allow them to destroy Carbapenem antibiotics.  This is a major healthcare concern, because as well as expressing Carbapenem resistance, CPE are also frequently resistant to most other groups of antibiotics.  The team are exploring the use of rapid testing techniques for CPE in order to reduce infections and improve the patient experience overall.

The Innovators:

Dr Caroline MacFie, Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthetics

Caroline Cullerton, Infection Prevention and Control Healthcare Scientist

Dr Kathy Walton, Consultant Microbiologist

Michelle Permain, Advanced Biomedical Scientist

Dr Lucia Pareja-Cebrian, Director, Infection Prevention and Control

Anita Mcguire, Senior Sister, Ward 37, ICCU, Freeman Hospital

Jennifer Collins, Microbiology and Virology Laboratory Manager

Lead organisation: The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Sponsored by The Centre for Process Innovation

1st place - Improvements in Mandibular Reconstruction

Following radiotherapy for head and neck cancer, a small cohort of patients can develop osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in the mandible, which is a condition initiated by an injury to the bone.  The current standard of care is symptom management, but in cases where the symptoms become unmanageable, the standard of care is mandibular resection and reconstruction.  A new and collaborative approach has been developed, which aims to minimise surgical failure rate and to improve the process of mandibular reconstruction.

The Innovators:

Nick West, Lead Clinical Scientist

Nick Willis, Practice Lead Specialist Dosimetrist

Shahid Iqbal, Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Northern Centre for Cancer Care

James Adams, Maxillofacial Surgeon

Matthew Kennedy, Maxillofacial Surgeon

Dental Services Directorate, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

2nd place - Managing Unusual Sensory Experiences in Psychosis 

It is common for people with Psychosis to report having unusual experiences such as hallucinations, which can lead to distress and social isolation. Whilst treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help, they are not widely available. A new approach, MUSE (Managing Unusual Sensory Experiences), has been developed, which draws upon the latest understanding of hallucinations. The treatment is of shorter duration than CBT, and it can be provided in an engaging way using digital technology by a broad range of staff working in mental health settings to enable people to better understand and manage their experiences.

The Innovator: Dr Robert Dudley, Professional Lead for the Psychosis Pathway Newcastle and Gateshead Localities, Trustwide lead for Psychological Therapies for Psychosis and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, on behalf of the MUSE Research Group

PED E-resuscitation Tool (PET) – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Critically unwell and injured children are brought to the Paediatric Emergency Department (PED) resuscitation room for life saving care, and although the staff are very highly trained, the PED resuscitation room is a high stress, time pressured, and very noisy, environment.  This can make the performance of the clinical team more difficult by increasing their cognitive load, and by impairing communication between team members.  The PED E-resuscitation Tool (PET) aims to optimise performance in the Paediatric Emergency Department (PED) resuscitation room, improving patient care and supporting healthcare professionals in the process.

The Innovators:

Dr Chris McKie, Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine

Dr Niall Mullen, Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine

Tom Harris, ED Pharmacist

Kay Metcalf, PED Sister

Beki Stanford, PED Sister

Teresa Fortune, Innovation Manager

Dr Imran Ahmed, Deputy Director of Research and Innovation, Devices and Digital Technology

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Andy Greener, Managing Director (and Team), KOMODO Digital

Professor Barry Hebbron, Senior Lecturer

Omar Al-Janabi, Innovation Manager

Teesside University

Lead organisation: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

AMBLor – Prognosis of Early Stage Cutaneous Melanoma

Melanoma is the most deadly of all skin cancers.  Globally, there are approximately 232,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed annually, which places enormous pressure upon healthcare systems.  Risk of disease progression is currently assessed based upon histological features of the tumour, however some tumours categorised as low risk will nevertheless go on to develop metastasis.  The AMBLor test has been developed, which provides an accurate prognosis of disease progression.  The test fits into the current diagnostic pathway for melanoma, and reduces the psychological burden on patients, as well as reducing costs associated with unnecessary patient surveillance.

The Innovators:

Dr Marie Labus, BDM, Newcastle University and CEO of AMLo Biosciences Limited

In collaboration with:

Professor Penny Lovat, Professor of Cellular Dermatology and Oncology, Newcastle University

Dr Rob Ellis, Consultant Dermatologist, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, Newcastle University and Chief Medical Officer of AMLo Biosciences Ltd

In collaboration with: EPSRC/MRC Molecular Pathology Node (The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust), and AMlo Biosciences Ltd

Sponsored by Diagnostics North East

1st place - Improvements in Breast Imaging

Breast screening programmes aim to detect cancers before they appear symptomatically.  Despite this, every year, there are more than 55,000 new incidences of breast cancer in the UK.  Breast screening using mammography was introduced in the UK almost thirty years ago, and it relies principally upon a difference between the density of the potential tumour and the surrounding normal breast tissue.  In view of this, in women with a higher proportion of dense tissue in the breast, it can be more difficult to detect any abnormality using mammography.  The new technique provides a more sensitive method of imaging women with dense breast tissue, improving prognosis and reducing treatment costs.

The Innovators:

Bartek Balczerski, Principal Investigator

Ian Baistow, Project Manager

Alexander Cherlin, Principal Physicist

Andrew Knapton, Detector Physicist

Ian Radley, Chief Technical Officer

Ben Cantwell, Innovation Director

Kromek Group

Tom Beale, Commercial Development Manager, Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)

Alison Bray, Clinical Scientist (Pre-reg)

Helen Elliott, Research Scientist

Nerys Forester, Consultant Radiologist

Liz Jefferson, Deputy Head of Nuclear Medicine 

Richard Peace, Consultant Clinical Scientist

George Petrides, Consultant Radiologist

Tim Powell, Clinical Scientist (Pre-reg)

Erika Ridley, Health Promotion Officer

Nidhi Sibal, Consultant Radiologist

Tracy Scott, Head of Patient Experience

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Sara Graziadio, Senior Methodologist, NIHR Newcastle MIC

Christine Armstrong, Monitoring Officer

Innovate UK

Lead organisation: The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Kromek

The VARIANT Trial – Feasibility Trial of Personalised Treatment of Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in males, with 1 in 4 patients developing incurable metastatic disease.  Initial treatment responses are transient and further management options include either additional chemotherapy and drug based internal radiotherapy, or further hormone therapy. Clinical choices in terms of deciding which of these treatment approaches to take, mean that management can be difficult in terms of patient experience, outcomes, and economic costs to the NHS.  The VARIANT study aims to generate feasibility data confirming the clinical value of treatments in day-to day UK advanced prostate cancer clinical practice, to inform the design of a future definitive randomised controlled trial.

The Innovators:

Dr Emma Clark, Translational Research Associate and VARIANT Laboratory Lead

Mr Rakesh Heer, Joint CRUK/RCS(Eng) Clinician Scientist Fellow and Hon. Consultant Urological Surgeon (VARIANT joint CI)

Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University

Prof John Staffurth, Director of Radiotherapy Trials and Clinical Reader in Oncology (VARIANT joint CI), Cardiff University

Denise Howell, Senior Lecturer in Epidemiological Statistics, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
Newcastle University

Shriya Sharma, Clinical Trials Manager, Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit, Newcastle University

Mr John Marshall, Patient Representative

Lead organisation: Newcastle University in association with National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and The Research Design Service (RDS North East and North Cumbria)

Measurement of Statin Concentrations

Statins are one of the most widely prescribed medication groups in the UK, and in 2016, the annual associated prescription cost was £132.8 million. An ageing population means that the likely prescription rate of statins is set to increase. However, due to a combination of side effects and negative publicity, poor adherence to statin medication is common, resulting in increased NHS expenditure due to wasted prescriptions, expensive second line treatments, and consequent cardiovascular events. An analysis method has been developed, which ensures that patients are provided with optimal treatment prior to progression to more expensive second line treatments.

The Innovators:

Elizabeth Robinson, Principal Clinical Biochemist

Dr Stewart Pattman, Consultant Chemical Pathologist

Leanne Boxshall, Senior Biomedical Scientist

Dr Nigel Brown, Consultant Clinical Scientist

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Dermot Neely, Consultant Chemical Pathologist, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Nur Salwani Bakar, Post-Doctoral Research Scientist

Dr Farhad Kamali, Prof of Human and Exp Pharm

Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University

Lead organisation: Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

A Point of Care Device for Large Vessel Occlusion Diagnosis – POCKiT diagnostics LTD

Every year, around sixteen million patients worldwide suffer a stroke.  The most dangerous type of stroke is a large vessel occlusion, which represents 95% of strokes causing permanent disability and 80% of strokes causing death.  Currently, two types of stroke treatment centres exist, namely Primary Stroke Centres (PSCs) and Comprehensive Stroke Centres (CSCs), but treatment for large vessel occlusion only occurs at CSCs.  A rapid point of care test has been developed for the detection of large vessel occlusion, which can be used to inform the decision regarding whether the patient should be directed to either the PSC or the CSC as appropriate.

The Innovators:

Gonzalo Ladreda, Chief Executive Officer

Marcos Ladreda, Chief Scientific Officer

Edoardo Gaude, Chief Innovation Officer

POCKiT diagnostics LTD

In collaboration with:

Dr Sara Graziadio, Senior Methodologist, NIHR Newcastle MIC

Dr Christopher Price, UK Representative, EU Stroke Guidelines

Dr Lisa Shaw, Principal Research Associate, Newcastle University

Sheila Graham, CEPA Biobank Manager,

CEPA Biobank Newcastle

Julie Hart, Director of Strategic and Industry Partners, AHSN Oxford

Sponsored by Great North Care Record

1st place - Capacity Tracker – NHS North of England Commissioning Support

Choosing a care home is one of the most important life decisions that any of us may have to make.  The decision may not be out of choice, but it may be necessary when discharge from hospital to the patient’s own home is not possible. To facilitate a successful transition to a care home, it is essential that health and social care staff work together to achieve the best possible outcome.  Developed

in partnership with NHS England North, Local Authority representatives and care home providers, the Capacity Tracker allows users to conveniently identify suitable care homes and ensure that they do not stay in hospital for any longer than is necessary.

The Innovators:

Jonathan Maloney, Programme Director, North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS)

Supported by:

Ben Murphy, Marketing Manager

Gillian Hardy, Programme Manager

Stuart Flanagan, Delivery Manager 

North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS)

Harry Jennerway, Systems and Product Development Lead

Ruth Holt, Director of Nursing / Independent Care Sector Regional Lead, NHS England

Gil Ramsden, Care Sector Lead, NHS England and NHS Improvement (North)

Lizzie Hancock, Care Home Manager, Fulford Nursing Home

Dorothy Montgomerie, Local Authority Manager,

East Riding of Yorkshire Council

2nd place - Development of an Electronic Paediatric Emergency Department Asthma Assessment Tool (PEDAAT)

The UK has the highest standardised asthma mortality rate in Europe for children up to 14 years old, and many of these deaths are avoidable.  Key to addressing this issue is the identification of high risk children with asthma, and the identification of cases where clinical concerns exist, such as inadequate routine care and / or poor adherence to treatment.  The team have developed an Electronic Paediatric Emergency Department Asthma Assessment Tool (PEDAAT), to provide high quality, patient focussed care, identifying high risk children and positively impacting upon asthma mortality rates.

The Innovators:

Dr Katherine Eastham, Consultant Paediatrician

Dr Prashant Kumar, Consultant Paediatrician

Kim Coxall, Paediatric Respiratory Nurse Specialist

Dr Chris McKie, Locum Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine

Mathew Poole, Senior Project Manager

IT (information Systems)

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Lead organisation: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Self Testing of Kidney Function – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Patients are often required to attend Primary and Secondary healthcare services for assessment of their kidney function, when they are generally well and would not otherwise need to see a healthcare professional. Although such tests are clinically important, unnecessary clinic visits can impact negatively upon the patient experienc e, and they can also consume valuable healthcare resources. For example, avoidable clinic visits can impact upon the daily schedules of patients, disrupting employment and imposing a financial burden.  The team are developing a model for patient self-testing of kidney function at home, which is safe, and which reliably replicates the key measurements that are assessed routinely in a clinic.

The Innovators:

Jonathan Murray, Renal Consultant

Clare Allinson, Renal Advanced Nurse Practitioner / Renal Project Lead

Caroline Wroe, Renal Consultant

Alycon Walker, Research Nurse

Jennifer Robinson, Research Nurse

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

William Stephen Jones, IVD Methodologist

Clare Lendrum, Statistical Methodologist

Jana Suklan, IVD Methodologist

NIHR Newcastle In Vitro Diagnostics Co-operative (MIC), Newcastle University

Yitka Graham, Senior Lecturer in Public Health,

The University of Sunderland

David Forsdike, STOK Study Patient Advisor

Joanne Smithson

The Digital Doctors Surgery – Empowering Digital Patients – NHS Sunderland CCG

People in Sunderland are living longer, but they are at risk of spending their extended years in poor health as a result of high levels of poverty, deprivation and lack of opportunity, all of which influence behaviours such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and excessive alcohol use. The quality of general practice in the region is excellent, but pressures are increasing.  The team have developed a new Programme, which aims to empower patients to take control of their own health and care, supported by secure and convenient digital channels. Patients in Sunderland will be able to choose how they interact with their GP Practice, whether it is using digital technology or via a traditional face to face method.

The Innovators:

Paul Gibson, Head of Digital Development

Rachael Forbister, TECS Programme Manager

Lynne Thompson, Senior Project Manager

Sarah Hayden, Locality Commissioning Manager 

NHS Sunderland CCG

Dr Raj Bethapudi, GP, CCIO and Executive GP, Galleries Medical Practice and NHS Sunderland CCG

Dr John Dean, Patient Representative

Stella Harding, Change Manager, North of England Commissioning Support Unit (NECS)

Paul Weddle, Practice Manager, Millfield Medical Practice

Wendy Page, Practice Manager, Monkwearmouth Medical Centre

Anne Ruffell, Practice Manager, Ashburn Medical Centre

Victoria Grainger, Delivery Officer, NHS England and NHS Improvement

Sponsored by NIHR Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria and MedConnecT North

1st place - Improved Treatment of Vascular Birthmarks

Vascular birthmarks are discolourations of the skin caused by abnormal growth or formation of blood vessels.  The Trust are undertaking a study directed to the treatment of vascular birthmarks, with the aim of providing significant benefits to both patients and the NHS, with patients requiring fewer repeat treatments and achieving a faster treatment response.

The Innovators:

Mr Tobian Muir, Consultant Plastic Surgeon

Sri Murugan, Associate Specialist

Marcel Brugmans, Senior Systems Developer

Joe Millar, Research and Development Manager

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

IGEA Medical, Italy

Lead organisation: South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Application of SABR - A Radiotherapy Programme

Stereo-tactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR) is a state-of-the-art oncology treatment, which represents the current standard of care for early lung cancers.  The Trust are looking into the application of the treatment to specific disease areas, with the aim of providing an alternative treatment option which presents a valuable opportunity to improve patient care.

The Innovators:

Dr Ewen Shepherd, Consultant Cardiologist / Electrophysiologist

Dr Ruairidh Martin, Consultant Cardiologist / Electrophysiologist

Dr Neil Seller, Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist / Paediatric Electrophysiologist

Mr Donald Greenhaugh, Chief Cardiac Physiologist

Dr Ruth McStay, Consultant Cardiothoracic Radiologist

Dr Philip Atherton, Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Mr Neil Richmond, Consultant Clinical Scientist

Mr Christopher Walker, Consultant Clinical Scientist and Head of Radiation Medical Physics

Michele Wilkinson, Principal Dosimetrist

Karen Pilling, Therapeutic Radiographer

Rachel Brooks, Therapeutic Radiographer

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Matthew Bates, Consultant Cardiologist / Electrophysiologist

Dr Andrew Thornley, Consultant Cardiologist / Electrophysiologist

Dr Clive Peedell, Consultant Clinical Oncologist

Mr Kevin Burke, Consultant Clinical Scientist and Head of Radiotherapy Physics

Mr Jim Daniel, Consultant Clinical Scientist

Dr Nic Child, Consultant Cardiologist, Imaging

Dr Neil Maredia, Consultant Cardiologist, Imaging

Claire Huntley, Therapeutic Radiographer, Clinical Lead

Alison Blower, Therapeutic Radiographer, SABR Lead

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Lead organisation: South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Evaluation of a Point of Care Test for Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Infants and Young Children

Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) in children impose a significant burden upon the children themselves, their families, and healthcare resources. RVIs are highly contagious, and in view of this, hospitalised children must be isolated to avoid cross-infection.  The University are evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of a point of care test for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, which is a type of RVI, under real-life NHS conditions.

The Innovators:

Dr Malcolm Brodlie, Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Newcastle University and Great North Children’s Hospital, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Joy Allen, Senior Evaluation Methodologist, National Institute for Health Research Newcastle In Vitro Diagnostics Co-operative, Newcastle University and The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Paediatric Research Unit Team, Great North Children’s Hospital, and Virology Team, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Katherine Eastham, Consultant Paediatrician

Dr Prashant Kumar, Consultant Paediatrician

Louise Fairlie and Research and Innovation Team

Joanne McKenna and Danielle Hardy, Ward F65 Nursing Team, Sunderland Royal Hospital, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Andrea Gonzalez-Ciscar, Academic Foundation Doctor, Newcastle University

Pathology Centre Team, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Roche Diagnostics, UK

Lead organisation: Newcastle University, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Sponsored by Health Education England North East

1st place - Development of Integrated Competency Hubs 

During clinical skills workshops, it became apparent that community-based staff were struggling with clinical skills training due to the geography and infrastructure of the Cumbria region, which often results in long journey times between community work bases and the two acute hospitals. In response to this, Integrated Competency Hubs have been developed, with Hub Co-coordinators matching the skills required by the community-based staff member with the relevant patient attending for treatment. In this way, staff have accessible provision for maintaining competency, which improves staff wellbeing and ultimately improves the patient experience.

The Innovators:

Debra Sargent, Clinical Education and Workplace Learning Facilitator

Sue Harper, Clinical Education

Sheena Bleasdale, Clinical Manager

Jen Riera, Ward Sister, Maryport Hospital

Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Lead organisation: Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

2nd place - Paediatric Sepsis Podcasts

Despite being one of the most common causes of avoidable death and harm in children, sepsis can be difficult to recognise early, and a lack of associated educational materials for healthcare professionals was identified.  In response to this, a series of Podcasts have been developed, exploring the condition from the point of view of infectious disease consultants, microbiologists, parents, neuro-disability consultants, allergists, intensivists, and district general consultants.  As a result, healthcare professionals are more able to learn from the expertise of others, and also contribute their own knowledge to the learning of others.

The Innovators:

Dr Emma Lim, Consultant Paediatrician

Dr Monica Parker, Clinical Teaching Fellow, Great North Children’s Hospital, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Jonny Guckian, Founder and Director, Medisense, Medical Education

Mr Ian O’ Donoghue, Head of Education, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

With support from

Caroline Docking, Parent expert and Director of Communications and Engagement, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Karen Horridge, Consultant Paediatrics Disability, Sunderland Royal Hospital

Dr Jethro Herberg, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Imperial College London

Dr Sachin Mannikar, Consultant Paediatrician, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Louise Michaelis, Consultant in Paediatric Allergy, Great North Children’s Hospital, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Lucia Pareja-Cebrian, Consultant Microbiologist, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Mark Peters, Consultant Paediatric Intensivist, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London

Dr Andrew Riordan, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health with support from Health Education England Innovation Grant

Lead organisation: The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

F|Docs – Innovative Training for Foundation Doctors – Medics. Academy

After completion of medical school in the UK, foundation doctors enter a two-year Foundation Programme, which consists of six placements in different specialties. The aim of the Foundation Programme is to provide foundation doctors with the skills to safely work within all areas, which they will take forward for the rest of their careers. Foundation Programme teaching is mainly delivered through classroom teaching, and as a result, foundation doctors can sometimes struggle to attend due to other clinical commitments.  F|Docs is an online package of interactive teaching materials specifically designed to meet the educational needs of foundation doctors.

The Innovators:

Dr Emma Cox, Chief Product Officer and Emergency Medicine Trainee 

Dr Johann Malawana, CEO and Founder

Professor Derek Gallen, Chief Education Officer

Adil Sharif, Key Account Manager

Mateusz Gidaszewski, Head of Design and User Experience

Charlie Dixon, Senior Illustrator

Tiziana Ruiu, Illustrator and Animator

Nick Galbusera, Product Architect

Matteo Morandini, Web Developer

Dr Solomon Kumal-Uddin, Clinical Product Manager and Paediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant

Dr Christopher Ellis, Clinical Product Manager and Psychiatry Trainee

Dr Vidushi Golash, Clinical Product Manager

Ophthalmology Trainee

Medics. Academy

Simulation as Part of Shadowing to Increase Preparedness

Foundation doctors often feedback that they do not have sufficient opportunity to spend time on the wards during the shadowing period which forms a vital part of their training. The aim of the Project is to increase preparedness for ward work by simulation, ensuring immersion in the ward environment.  Acute scenarios are developed, which enable the foundation doctors to simulate routine tasks and clinical care, but in a realistic way and in a realistic timeframe, introducing them to important tasks such as the procedures that they will typically use in day to day practice.

The Innovator:

Dr Leigh Simmonds, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Lead organisation: County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

An Online Programme of Interactive Allergy Education

Allergic disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent and more complex. Whilst early recognition and management is key, there is a need to improve training in healthcare groups, particularly in view of the fact that a wide variety of healthcare professionals encounter patients with allergy in their day to day practice.  A Programme of allergy education has been developed, which is designed to address the practice needs of specific clinical groups, facilitating direct interaction with experts in the field to discuss case management and improve patient care as a result.

The Innovators:

Neil Davidson, Allergy eLearning Deputy Module Lead / Associate Clinical Lecturer / Consultant General Paediatrician

Gill Vance, Allergy e-Learning Module Lead / Senior Clinical Lecturer in Medical Education / Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Allergy

Louise Michaelis, Consultant and Associate Lecturer in Paediatric Immunology and Allergy

James Gardner, Paediatric Allergy Consultant Nurse

Matt Thomas, Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer / Paediatric Respiratory Consultant

Sally Hails, Nurse Specialist Children’s Respiratory Medicine

Mike McKean, Consultant in Respiratory Paediatrics and Clinical Director

Great North Children’s Hospital

Ashley Reynolds, E-learning Technologist, FMS Graduate School, Newcastle University

Helen Bourne, Consultant Immunologist

Suzy Leech, Consultant Dermatologist

Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne

Paul Whitaker, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine,

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Lead organisation: Newcastle University

Sponsored by Newcastle University

1st place - Ian Dove

Ian has worked with the Trust since 2008, first as Service Transformation Lead Officer, and then later on as Business Development Manager. Throughout this time, he has championed digital health, provided mentorship and guidance to the wider Innovation Team, and has driven forward local Projects, working tirelessly in the development of innovation at the Trust.  His experience and insight have been crucial to the successful implementation of innovation throughout the Trust.

Business Development Manager, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

The Sensational Thinking Project – The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Sensory processing differences significantly affect participation in daily activities, including access to education, and they are prevalent in around 95% of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Alice Gair, a Paediatric Occupational Therapist, and the wider Children's Community Occupational Therapy Service, have nurtured the Sensational Thinking Project, which aims to improve the service provision for children affected by sensory processing differences, and their families.

Alice Gair, Paediatric Occupational Therapist and NHS England Clinical Entrepreneur, and the Newcastle Community Occupational Therapy Team

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with the support of Boyes, Elite Embroidery, Alphaset and Little Lucy’s Photoshoots

Transition from Paediatric to Adult Care – A Co-produced Patient Experience Project: The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Neil Davidson, a Consultant Paediatrician, is the founder and medical lead of the Young Person's Advisory Group North England (YPAGne). The Group includes young people from the region, who meet each month at the Great North Children's Hospital and work together to improve research projects involving children and young people.  They integrate the voice of young people into the research process, and their passion and drive are an inspiration to all.

Dr Neil Davidson, YPAGne Founder and Medical Lead / Consultant Paediatrician

Joanne Ball, YPAGne and Engagement Co-ordinator

Dr Alex Battersby, Consultant Paediatrician

Clare Simmister, Paediatric Research Team Lead

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Hayley, Keshav, Mogtasid, Lucy, May, Holly, Abdel, Jessica, Jonathon and Nikhita - Members of YPAGne

Robbie Bain, Medical Student

Adam Wallace, Medical Student

Newcastle University

The Acute Stroke Unit – Ward E58 Sunderland Royal Hospital – South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

As well as delivering care to patients who have suffered a stroke, Deborah Hindmarsh, Ward Manager, and the wider team at The Acute Stroke Unit at the Sunderland Royal Hospital, are integral in nurturing a culture of innovation and quality improvement within the Trust.  Continually striving to improve patient care, Deborah and the team work hard to deliver the best possible care for every patient by ‘thinking outside the box’ in order to meet their needs.

Ward E58 Sunderland Royal Hospital

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust