Finalist
INFORMS - Driving MS Service Optimisation
Summary of work
Challenges facing Multiple Sclerosis (MS) services are well-documented.
Services endeavour to overcome these challenges whilst still driving service optimisation/redesign to enhance patient care.
Many healthcare professionals (HCPs) do not feel they have the skills required to drive such service improvement.
Merck's INFORMS educational programme is a new, innovative, solution-orientated UK educational programme, which aims to directly address these challenges and support MS clinical teams to:
- Develop the necessary business skills (eg engaging Business Managers, leveraging data effectively and building successful business cases) to drive their services forward
- Navigate the changing NHS landscape, focusing on understanding the opportunities and challenges facing their local MS service and supporting them to build effectively, early relationships with key emerging stakeholders, such as Integrated Care Systems (ICSs)
- Embed service innovation into their clinical practice, providing a forum to share service-redesign case-studies from different centres across the UK (eg embedding digital & supported self-management into a service) with a focus on understanding the practicalities & challenges.
INFORMS has exceeded our initial objectives and has been extremely successful in its launch phase. We have successfully delivered a high-impact, innovative educational programme which has successfully supported MS clinical teams to develop and optimise their services.
Judges’ comments
This team clearly outlined the unmet need, speaking to 30 clinicians and questioning how they could work to improve the MS advisory service. The judges agreed that the situational analysis was good, with time-bound objectives and a well-executed case study with a practical focus.
