‘Independent task group driving digital health readiness’

A new independent group has been formed to drive forward the much needed digital health readiness agenda. This will be led by CECOPS CIC*, and supported by many experts in the digital health space.

The formation of this group follows a webinar run by CECOPS ‘DIGITAL HEALTH READINESS, DURING & POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC’**.

There was an overwhelming sense in the discussion that in order for the digital health marketplace to be sustainable and effective, the issue of organisational readiness should be addressed as a matter of priority.

The task group will be jointly chaired by Professor Mike Bewick (a former deputy medical director at NHS England) and Shane Tickell (Vice Chair, Health and Social Care, TechUK, and CEO Temple Black). The group have agreed that the issue of digital health readiness is beyond further discussion and want to be seen as a ‘Do Tank’.

The overall aims of the group are to establish what digital health readiness actually looks like, share, scale and accelerate it, so that organisations are ready for adopting new innovations and technologies at pace, to ensure improved outcomes and benefits can be fully realised. The group will collaborate with other strategic partners in the space.

Professor Bewick says, “Over recent years there has been some excellent work initiated by organisations like NHS England/Improvement – including the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur programme, NHSX, the Academic Health Science Networks and Digital Health London, looking at innovations. To capitalise on this work we feel readiness is an area where focus needs to be, especially with the momentum COVID-19 has given with regards to looking at digital health; we don’t want to miss this opportunity.”

Brian Donnelly, CEO, CECOPS, will lead on the day to day operations of the group and oversee projects, along with a support team. The task group advisory panel includes:

Professor Mike Bewick (Joint Chair)

Shane Tickell (Joint Chair)

Dr Taz Aldawoud, CCIO, NHS Bradford District and Craven CCG; CEO, Doc Abode (Vice Chair)

Dr. Ruth Ngozi Agbakoba, Academic & Digital Health Consultant (Project Lead & Advisor)

Dr Paul Rice, Regional Director of Digital Transformation, NHS England & NHS Improvement (External Advisor)

Rachel Murphy, CEO, Difrent Group (External Advisor)

Eamus Halpin, Corporate Strategist, Horizon Strategic Partners (External Advisor)

Liz Ashall-Payne, CEO, ORCHA (External Advisor)

Dr Tamsin Holland Brown, Paediatrician, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust (External Advisor)

Dr. Sam Shah, Digital Health Tech Advisor (External Advisor)

Neelam Patel, CEO, MedCity (External Advisor)

Helen Hughes, CEO, Patient Safety Learning (External Advisor)

Charlotte Lewis, Commercial Health Lawyer, Mills & Reeve (External Advisor)

Dr. Antonio E. Weiss, Author & Director 2020 Delivery (External Advisor)

Hassan Chaudhury, Digital Health Lead at Healthcare UK (External Advisor)

Andy Wilkins, Co-Founder at Vision4Health & CEO of BE Advisory

Readiness assessments will look mainly at the planning and commissioning of services, including system readiness. It will help bring organisations to the procurement and commissioning phase. Assessments can also cover digital health providers, so that they are also ready to bring their solution to the market.

Dr Taz Aldawoud (Vice Chair) says, “This is an excellent opportunity to ensure the system is ready for some of the great innovations out there. This initiative could not have come at a better time. I am delighted to be part of this.”

Readiness will be assessed against the CECOPS International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services: A Quality Framework for Procurement and Commissioning of Services, and using the iCOPS® self-assessment and continuous improvement software tool.

Readiness assessments can be undertaken at both micro and macro levels e.g. hospitals, Integrated Care Systems. If you would like to find more about this new task group and how it can support you, please get in touch: T: 01494 863398 | M: 07511667330 | brian@cecops.org.uk

– ENDS    –

*CECOPS CIC is the independent standards and accreditation body in the UK for all assistive technology services, including digital health. CECOPS has developed outcome-based standards and currently works with approximately 200 NHS and local authority providers.

** A recording from the webinar can be accessed using the following link and by using the password below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/v8VqJo3a_39JZdaQ13nDfbEdPKvZaaa813NNqPdezkbPFL5cHeZH0mVPqcmgVNVj?startTime=1591792456000

PASSWORD: 7g!n3?.I

NRS Healthcare gains corporate CECOPS accreditation for all community equipment and wheelchair services

NRS Healthcare has become the first organisation to gain corporate CECOPS accreditation for both community equipment and wheelchair services, covering all the services they provide across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 NRS Healthcare is a leading provider of community equipment and wheelchair services in the UK, providing services to local authorities, the NHS, and the general public. NRS delivers a wide range of assistive technologies to support people in keeping them safe and independent.

CECOPS CIC is the independent standards and accreditation body for assistive technology services.

CECOPS accreditation is a regular feature in service specifications for assistive technology services, and is a way of assuring commissioners that services are meeting quality and performance related standards.

Jerry Benson, Chief Executive, NRS Healthcare, says “Working to the CECOPS outcome-based quality framework across community equipment and wheelchair services, and being independently assessed against this, has helped us immensely. It will help us to deliver the highest possible standard of service to our customers and stakeholders.”

CECOPS CEO, Brian Donnelly, says “CECOPS is the gold standard for quality in the assistive technology provider space. We are delighted that NRS Healthcare sees the value in our standards and scheme. It is great that NRS has achieved corporate accreditation for all of their community equipment and wheelchair services contracts. Their commitment to quality and improving standards is impressive and it is evident why they are a leading provider in the space. Well done!”

Technology Enabled Care Services: A way forward for Providers

CECOPS is now supporting providers in the technology enabled care services (TECS) space, and is helping to shape the marketplace and drive the digital transformation with our new international framework and support tools.

The technology enabled care marketplace needs to change in order to meet both current and future health and care demands. Working with the same models is not a sustainable option. With this in mind, CECOPS has developed quality standards, in the form of an outcome-based Code of Practice, and related support tools, to enable the sector to make the changes it needs to encourage engagement with technology, and to embed sustainability into delivery models.

International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services

CECOPS has recently developed the first-ever end-to-end and outcome-based International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS). See the areas covered by the TECS Code HERE.

This is the first Code of Practice to span across both commissioner and provider responsibilities, as we believe this is key to establishing effective services. It also covers all service areas including health, care and housing. The Code is truly international, meaning you can work with it across your global operations.

CECOPS Accreditation

Commissioners across the UK are increasingly engaging with our Code, and you can seek the prestigious CECOPS accreditation against the Code, to demonstrate to commissioners that you are working to the standard they require.

CECOPS Accreditation is achieved by having an assessment of your services by our external and independent Quality and Risk Management expert team. Gaining CECOPS accreditation status is already a requirement of some commissioners, so gaining it will also help you to achieve competitive advantage.

iCOPS® and Continuous Improvement

The CECOPS Model has a continuous improvement focus, moving the thinking away from a ‘compliance’ mentality. Having a ‘compliance’ focus can stifle innovation, and it can breed apathy i.e. ‘we are just good enough’.

In view of this, we have developed a unique and powerful self-evaluation and continuous improvement software tool called iCOPS®. This tool is available for both commissioners and providers.

iCOPS® empowers you to drive your own quality and performance agenda, as well as manage contracts and programmes (e.g. analogue to digital). It also enables you to demonstrate improvements and the quality of your service to commissioners and interested parties.

There is a FREE 30 DAY TRIAL version available on iCOPS® – please take advantage of this offer. Details for signing up for the trial are included in the attached flyer HERE.

About CECOPS

CECOPS CIC is the independent (not for profit) standards and certification body for all assistive technology services. We have Codes of Practice for various Assistive Technology services.

Our Codes act as a quality framework for procurement and provision of services. We currently work with in excess of 80 local authorities, NHS, private and voluntary organisations in the UK, with growing interest globally. CECOPS is officially supported by regulators and professional organisations.

Why work with CECOPS?

CECOPS is leading the way in the assistive technology (AT) space, in terms of improving standards and outcomes. As well as covering all AT services, CECOPS uniquely covers planning, commissioning, service provision and clinical and technical aspects of services.

Here are some of the main reasons for working with CECOPS:

•  Unique Code of Practice covering Planning, Commissioning and Providing TECS
• International Code of Practice (not limited to one country)
• Outcomes-based Code Standards (not output-based) – encouraging innovation
• Offers unique self-evaluation and continuous improvement tool, iCOPS®
• Helps with organisational readiness, implementing and scaling up services
• Helps with managing contracts and performance, and driving continuous improvement
• Supports large scale projects, programmes and digital transformation e.g. analogue to digital
• CECOPS is a completely Independent Standards Body (i.e. not industry-led)
• CECOPS use external and independent (ISO Qualified) Quality and Risk Management specialists
• CECOPS Code and tools first to strengthen commissioner and provider relationships
• CECOPS set to shape the marketplace (balancing demand and supply) and embeds sustainability

Don’t just take our word for it:

“CECOPS provide the framework for the thorough review of standards and systems throughout the accreditation cycle, supporting continuous system improvement in the provision of high quality, safe and effective services for our service users. The (6) North West London CCGs have benefitted from the experts in the team who have supported us to commission services that deliver improved and sustainable outcomes. We would recommend CECOPS for all commissioners of assisted technology services.” Mona Hayat, Director of Programmes, NHS West London Clinical Commissioning Group

“Appello aims to work to, and to set ourselves, the highest standards in the industry….we think CECOPS brings a new clinical perspective that will help us provide our customers with even higher standards of performance in the future.”

Tim Barclay, CEO, Appello

Please get in touch if you would like to informally discuss how we can support you.

01494 863398 | info@cecops.org.uk |

Appello, the largest telecare monitoring service in the UK, registers with CECOPS!

We are delighted to welcome Appello, our newest registrant, the largest telecare monitoring service provider in the UK.

Appello has registered its monitoring service with us, showing its commitment to work to CECOPS’ International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services.

Appello is also working towards accreditation, where their service will be independently assessed by CECOPS’ partners DNV GL Healthcare, world leaders in quality and risk management.

Brian Donnelly, CECOPS CEO, said, “I am very impressed with Appello’s determined approach to offering the best possible service and with their continuous improvement focus. It is a privilege to have a respected organisation like Appello working with CECOPS.”

Appello CEO Tim Barclay said “Appello aims to work to, and to set ourselves, the highest standards in the industry. We are already pleased to work with the TSA and BSI and we think CECOPS brings a new clinical perspective that will help us provide our customers with even higher standards of performance in the future.”

About CECOPS

CECOPS is the independent standards and certification body for assistive technology services, including technology enabled care services (TECS). CECOPS is a social enterprise and currently works with approximately 80 organisations. CECOPS is CQC approved and has been endorsed by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Health and Safety Executive, for example.

Local Government Association (LGA) and NHS England Vanguards signpost CECOPS as a resource to support Technology Enabled Care Services

CECOPS offers standards, software tools, expert personnel and training to help local authorities and health organisations with planning, commissioning and providing technology enabled care services (TECS) e.g. telecare, digital health.

CECOPS is an independent, not-for-profit standards and certification body for assistive technology services.

CECOPS is, where appropriate, one of the resources Local Authorities are signposted to following completion of the Local Government Association’s Social Care Digital Maturity Assessment.

NHS England Vanguard areas currently undertaking Digital Maturity Assessments and requiring support will also be signposted to CECOPS, as a resource to support local areas.

CECOPS’ details are available on the resource repository area for Local Authorities and an online collaboration space for NHS England Vanguards.

Support will include CECOPS’ outcomes-based integrated Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services. The Code can help organisations prepare for engaging with TECS, as well as providing a quality framework for procurement and provision of services, simplifying the commissioning and tendering of services. Details about the Code can be found HERE.

The Code is supported by a unique self-evaluation and continuous improvement software tool, allowing organisation to self-evaluate their readiness and assist in the monitoring of contracts and services. A free 30 day trial is available on the tool. A flyer for the tool can be downloaded HERE.

CECOPS also has a Strategy and Delivery Unit (SDU), made up of national experts in the space, which can help with assessing, progressing and accelerating organisational readiness. The SDU can help with commissioning, procuring and implementation of services.

The new quality framework and tools uniquely enable CECOPS to work across wider geographical areas and share good practice, thus adopting a community building approach to help achieve a wider and more accelerated adoption of TECS.

CECOPS also offers training programmes for both commissioning and providing TECS.

CECOPS can also accredit services, via an external assessment undertaken by independent assessors DNV GL Healthcare, world leaders in quality and risk management.

To find out more please contact CECOPS: (T) 01494 863398 (M) 07511 667 330 (E) info@cecops.org.uk

About CECOPS

CECOPS is a social enterprise and currently works with approximately 80 NHS organisations and local authorities. CECOPS is CQC approved and has been endorsed by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Health and Safety Executive, for example. CECOPS is completely independent, having no affiliations with suppliers or service providers. The assessment partners used by CECOPS, DNV GL Healthcare, are also totally independent, which avoids any potential conflicts of interest. CECOPS is chaired by Sir Bert Massie CBE.

Roy Lilley on the CECOPS Technology Enabled Care Code

Roy Lilley kindly provided a foreword for the new International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services, as follows. (Details about the Code can be found HERE)

“An outcomes-based Code of Practice for both commissioning and providing Technology Enabled Care Services, who’d have thought it? And it’s fabulous!

Commissioning; there is no great mystery to it. In plain English, it is buying stuff. In the more elegant language of healthcare, the right people providing the right services, in the right place for the right people. It is trickier than you’d think.

Healthcare is notoriously complicated. It is a whole-system. Fiddle with one bit and you disturb another bit. Change something and run the risk of making a mess someplace else. Commissioners have to regularly cope with this complexity. Quite how they do it, I will never know. An added dimension is a more recent addition to the commissioning repertoire: Technology Enabled Care Services, now commonly called TECS.

Technology is not a bolt-on or an addition. It is at the heart of modern health and care. This fabulously well-thought-through framework and Code of Practice puts the patient and service user at the heart of decision making and helps the commissioner, and the provider, through the complexity of it all.

I congratulate Brian Donnelly on his tireless work in this, often, Cinderella part of health and care. He moves it front and centre with ease. Pages of common sense, technical guidance, help and, the best part, all outcomes-focused.

Emphasising the involvement of stakeholders, users and carers, this is more than a Code of Practice; it is a map, a guide and a chaperone. It is thought-provoking and a source of inspiration.

Telehealth, telecare, apps, and digital technologies in health, social care and housing sectors have so much to offer patients, residents, relatives and carers. New approaches emerge, what seems like, every day. What works, what doesn’t? How will we know? What is essential and what is a gimmick? What might we dismiss and come to regret passing over?

This Code of Practice gives us the baseline for making assessments, a foundation for making decisions and it helps the commissioners and providers with the groundwork to get it right, first time.

To date, the lack of a reference point may have been a disincentive to put our faith into new technologies and, perhaps, contributed to a slow take up of and engagement with the tools, devices and equipment that may not only be of huge benefit to patients and residents, but also contribute to health and care organisations’ drive towards innovation and efficiencies.

This well-researched Code provides an end-to-end solution, from early planning to post-implementation, as well as a reassurance that innovative projects can be implemented on time and with success. It is a thorough and complete piece of work and advice that, I am sure, will become a welcome reference point for commissioners, providers and people receiving services.

If I were to sum up the Code in a couple of words, I would choose: quality and continuous improvement.

Congratulations on an outstanding contribution to the complex world of commissioning and providing Technology Enabled Care Services.”

Roy Lilley

Roy Lilley is a leading analyst, writer, broadcaster and commentator on health and social care in the UK.  Roy is the Founder of the Academy of Fabulous NHS Stuff, www.fabnhsstuff.net, a repository which has become a social movement and is seen as the change platform for the NHS and Social Care. Roy is also the publisher of an e-newsletter for NHS managers – see www.nhsmanagers.net.

To find out more about the work of CECOPS in the TECS space, view the latest newsletter HERE

Organisational readiness: Technology Enabled Care Services

Having previously worked in the public sector I have personally been guilty of procuring technologies without firstly giving a lot of consideration as to how ready the organisation was to use the technologies effectively. For example, does the organisation have the right skills, resource, capacity or information systems to benefit from such technologies and measure service impact?

Not considering organisational readiness appropriately means that it is likely the technologies will not meet their intended purpose, and neither will expected benefits be realised.

This oversight is something that happens regularly, especially within the public sector. We have all witnessed it with failed local and regional technology related projects, as well as national multi-million pound IT projects, for example.

I once knew someone who bought £500K of telecare ‘boxes’ for a local authority. After 6 months the ‘boxes’ were still in a store; no one knew how to deploy and use the contents of the ‘boxes’!

On a national or even international scale, the cost of investing in technologies without ever realising their full potential or improving care to patients and users must be colossal. This is a complete waste of public funds.

Organisational readiness: For too long the focus has been on the provider and supplier end of the market; whilst this has its place, time and consideration has to equally be given to the planning and commissioning end of the market. It is in the long term interest of good providers and suppliers of technology to provide their products, solutions and services into organisations that are ready.

Not only should organisations assess their own readiness prior to committing to acquiring technologies, there is a role also for providers and suppliers to help ensure organisations are ready.

So how can organisations make sure they are ready before taking a leap into the world of technology enabled care services? This is very important now that technologies are playing more of a role in health and social care provision.

Good News: We are glad to inform you that CECOPS has some new developments which will help!

First end-to-end outcome-based International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services

We have just developed the first ever end-to-end outcome-based International Code of Practice for Planning, Commissioning and Providing Technology Enabled Care Services. Following the sequential steps set out within this Code will help to ensure organisations are ready before engaging with technology enabled care services. It will also help to ensure any service implemented results in the best possible outcomes, and that the service is innovative and sustainable.

The new CECOPS Code is available from HERE. The Code is FREE to organisations working with CECOPS.

To supplement the Code, CECOPS has also developed a self-evaluation and continuous improvement tool for both planning and commissioning TECS, as well as service provision. This tool can also help with determining organisational readiness and implementing new services. There is a free trial available so you can see how it works. Details can be downloaded HERE

 

“..this is more than a Code of Practice; it is a map, a guide and a chaperone. It is thought provoking and a source of inspiration.” Roy Lilley, Health expert and analyst.

Brian Donnelly

Get in touch: If you would like to discuss any of the above issues please get in touch.

E: brian@cecops.org.uk | +44 (0) 7511 667 330 | T: +44 (0) 1494 863398 | www.cecops.org.uk