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Update from feedback meeting on Prospectus

AHSN Feedback meeting 20 November 2012

The Oxford AHSN feedback meeting was held yesterday by video conference with Sir Ian Carruthers and Richard Gleave.   The process has clearly moved into one of development and assurance rather than assessment and competition and the intention is to announce the licensing of all AHSNs after the end of the interview process at the end of February 2013. The session went well with particular strengths in R & D, the wealth creation approach and the proposed use of clinical networks to deliver best care, research uptake and innovation, being positively commented on.

The session was the last of the series of 15 held during November and the formal Panel interview with the Oxford AHSN team is expected to take place on the afternoon of 18 February 2013.  This Panel will be chaired by Sir Alan Langlands, Chairman of the Higher Education Funding Council for  England (HEFCE), and will also include Sir Ian Carruthers, Sir John Bell (UK Life Sciences ), Dr Russell Hamilton (NIHR), Professor Steve Field, Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive, Association of British Healthcare Industries and Stephen Whitehead, Chief Executive, Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry.

The next steps are now to provide additional information on the ways in which the clinical networks can deliver improvements and efficiencies, increased engagement in research and the identification, adoption and diffusion of innovations (with consequent wealth creation).  This work will start next week through the development of additional information in relation to diabetes and mental health/dementia networks.  In addition, a short delivery plan setting out the local plans for early wins in the first 100 days, including plans on three specific areas from Innovation Health and Wealth and the UK Life Sciences Strategy (as below).

  • Goals for increasing the participation in research
  • Compliance with NICE Technology Appraisals
  • Wealth creation – commercialisation of specific products/services in partnership with industry

The feedback of all AHSNs from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is reproduced below:

An AHSN-wide system to manage research participation and performance effectively and efficiently:

“We note the plans for an R&D programme Steering Committee to oversee the delivery a single sign off process across the Network, and the work with the CLRN.  We want the design of AHSN-wide systems to be developed by AHSNs to fit their local settings and constituent organisations, and we appreciate that there will not be a one size fits all solution.  Any system will need to demonstrate that the governance of the AHSN is able to request, receive and monitor appropriate information about research initiation and performance, and leverage any necessary improvements in constituent organisations to deliver a step-change improvement.”

The following is now underway covering the following areas:

  • The development of the governance arrangements (additional information on this is expected at an AHSNs meeting to be held in London on 22 November and a summary of the meeting will be circulated);
  • The appointment of independent chair and managing director following the allocation of funding to support the AHSN’s establishment during 2012/2013;
  • The establishment of the Interim Management Board meeting – nominations are now being sought from the various sectors, and it is planned to hold the first meeting by the end of December;
  • The establishment of the interim Executive Team including the interim Programme coordinators;
  • The development of the business plan and the support structures to take the work of the AHSN forward; – this will include resources to support the work of the programmes and themes;
  • Clarity on the license conditions and expectations from the National Commissioning Board;
  • Further development of the website, communications and briefing materials for sharing across the Network;
  • The development of the plans for the programmes and themes through the interim coordinators and others across the Network.  A workshop is now being planned for January and contributions will be welcomed from all.

Additional information and news will continue to be posted.

Megan Turmezei