Summary
This began as a local project in partnership with Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) after they introduced elastomeric devices for delivering 24-hour IV antibiotics in patients’ homes in November 2019. The project originated from a student from OUH who completed a practical programme for healthcare innovators run by the Oxford AHSN and Bucks New University.
Following successful implementation of the devices at OUH, the Oxford AHSN worked with the OUH team to understand the approval and adoption process. This developed into a regional project to support other trusts in the South East of England interested in introducing elastomeric devices for 24-hour infusions.
What did we do?
Sophie McGlen
The Adopting Innovation and Managing Change in Healthcare Settings programme is a Masters-level course delivered by the Oxford AHSN and Bucks New University. It provides students with the information, skills and support they need to introduce an innovative idea into practice within their organisation.
Since it started in 2016 more than 300 NHS innovators have completed the programme. One of them is Sophie McGlen, Ambulatory Care Lead Pharmacist at OUH, who applied her learning to initiate a local project introducing elastomeric devices into clinical practice, working with ‘hospital at home’ nursing teams to provide IV antibiotic treatment in patients’ homes.
This approach helps to avoid unnecessary admissions and supports earlier discharge from hospital. The Oxford AHSN worked with Sophie and her team to understand the impact of the new pathway on length of stay, hospital bed days saved and patient experience.
Sophie said: “I have been hugely supported by the Oxford AHSN to roll this out, and the course really helped me with the governance process. We would not have got where we are without them.”
Impact/outcomes
From November 2019 to April 2023, more than 230 patients were discharged with the device to complete their IV antibiotic treatment at home. As a result, nearly 3,200 bed days were released, equating to a net cost avoidance of over £1 million. Feedback was gathered from patients with a significant majority saying they were very happy with the device and would use it again.
The OUH and the Oxford AHSN have also worked with NHS Supply Chain which looked at this project as part of its Value Based Procurement programme. This programme shifts emphasis from reducing product costs to looking at reducing total costs within a patient pathway. NHS Supply Chain published a case study based on this work in January 2022.
Next steps
The Oxford AHSN secured funding from Health Education England to support engagement and roll out across the South East of England. This includes clinical leadership and implementation support resources for NHS trusts to understand more about the different models of care that could be adopted, operational considerations and support for introducing the devices into practice.