Bristol, North Somerset, and Somerset (BNSSG) Integrated Care System (ICS) was selected to take part in the Elective Accelerator programme, a national initiative launched in May 2021. The programme's objective was to reduce elective waiting lists by evaluating and implementing novel ways of working to increase the number of elective operations undertaken.
Objective
To tackle elective waiting lists the NHS announced a £160 million national initiative in May 2021. The Elective Accelerator programme aimed to reduce elective waiting lists by evaluating and implementing novel ways of working to increase the number of elective operations undertaken. Bristol, North Somerset, and Somerset (BNSSG) Integrated Care System (ICS) was selected to take part in the programme.
What we did
BNSSG ICS received more than £20m in capital and revenue funding, which they allocated across more than a hundred improvement schemes covering both University Hospitals Bristol and Weston (UHBW) and North Bristol Trust (NBT).
We were asked by UHBW to support a rapid review of their funded initiatives to provide assurance on progress and make recommendations to improve delivery. We developed and deployed a light-touch assessment framework that would establish whether project delivery, benefits and costs were on track.
Major projects reviewed included:
- Cardiology day-case unit expansion: additional 50 cases per month planned
- Establishment of a system-wide virtual ward
- Echo insourcing: increasing activity levels by 480 patients over 3 months
- Cardiology pacing room
- Modular theatres: enabling 6 additional cases per day, with the potential to provide a further eight 3-hour sessions per week
- Brunel beds: additional rehabilitation beds to support discharge fully utilised, with the potential to extend to other pathways
- Radiology CT scanner
Activity
Elective care
PMO implementation, operation and turnaround
Data driven decision making
Analytics and business intelligence
Outcome
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With our support UHBW were able to focus funding on the most impactful initiatives to deliver more than 70 projects across its six divisions.
Programmes supported within the Accelerator portfolio, included:
• Implementing an Ophthalmology Diagnostic Assessment Hub
• Creating a programme reporting structure and workbook for Urgent Care services
• Benefits mapping for Healthier Together @ Home, a project to initiate virtual care for patients in their own homes
• Developing options appraisals and business cases for Bristol Eye Hospital (BEH)
• Critical Care Outreach Service.
During the health check, the ICS requested we undertake a learning review of Accelerator programmes in three other ICSs to identify successful interventions delivered elsewhere. As a result, the Trusts were able to pinpoint and explore innovative approaches that had not initially been in the scope of the BNSSG programme.
To ensure a dynamic foundation for further delivery through winter and into the new financial year we supported the development of a multi-skilled programme support hub for BNSSG.
