Session 6.3 – Strengthening Capacity and Capability for Priority Setting

Friday October 31 9:00-10:30

Empowering Commissioners Through Sapiential Authority: Developing a National Knowledge-Sharing Network for Public Health Professionals

(Abstract 0052)

Thomas Porter2, Alison Hill2, Muir Gray1
1NHS National Knowledge Service, United Kingdom, 2Supporting Public Health, United Kingdom

Commissioning of health technologies and services occurs independently in most Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England. This system is inefficient, due to duplication of effort when reviewing the evidence for local commissioning decisions; and lacks rigour, because few PCTs can develop expertise in all services they commission, leading to a knowledge asymmetry with providers. We set out to develop an innovative network of public health professionals involved in commissioning in England, to encourage knowledge-sharing and the development of professional expertise in specific topics, resulting in higher quality, more efficient commissioning and priority-setting.

A Project Board was convened in November 2007 with wide professional representation including the Department of Health (DH), Strategic Health Authorities, PCTs, Association of Directors of Public Health and Faculty of Public Health. The purpose of the Board was to develop a detailed specification for the new network. Following successful completion of the specification in March 2008, funding for a 2 year pilot was secured from DH, beginning in April 2008.

Network members will specialise in particular commissioning topics, sharing their expertise and relevant published and grey literature with their colleagues through a web-based electronic learning network. An interim progress report for the network will be presented to the Conference in October, preceding a formal evaluation at 9 months. A review of how well the network is meeting the information requirements of local decision makers through knowledge-sharing, will be presented.

Using a Decision Support Service to Improve Priority Setting in A Primary Care Trust in England

(Abstract 0025)

Adrian Brown, Rosalind Blackwood
Westminster Primary Care Trust, United Kingdom

(UPDATED ABSTRACT REQUIRED)

Supporting the Adoption and Implementation of New Technologies into NHS Scotland

(Abstract 0124)

Joyce Craig1, Karen Ritchie1, Andrew Marsden2
1NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, United Kingdom, 2National Procurement, United Kingdom

A new system for providing appropriate, relevant and timely evidence synthesis to support patient care is currently being developed for NHS Scotland. Information on new and existing healthcare interventions is being provided to a committee of health care decision makers, convened by the Scottish Government, via a collaboration between two existing NHS Scotland agencies.

The agencies involved are producing a quarterly report summarising findings from newly published health technology assessments, guidelines, and other evaluations of new interventions published by NICE, SIGN, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, UK universities and international HTA agencies. This report will give details of the clinical and cost effectiveness evidence supplemented with existing information on the current use of these technologies and devices. The report will give an indication on the likely impact on the organisation of services, costs and resource use where possible.

The recipient committee then has the opportunity to request further appraisal of the evidence, a full report of the potential quantifiable impact and the development of tools to assist with implementation where appropriate.

Methods to disseminate information from these activities within NHS Scotland are being established, as are systems to monitor the uptake of new technologies via routine data collection procedures and special studies.

This approach will facilitate improved identification and knowledge of new technologies in the NHS in Scotland allowing better planning of future services and to facilitate any implementation.