Project Name: Novartis Re-imagining Care Pathways Collaborative Working Project (“NRCP CWP”) Molecular Radiotherapy
Project Summary:
This Reimagining Care Pathways CWP comprises a series of workshops, with the aim of providing pathway mapping support to the CW Partner (healthcare and service teams) to:
- Identify potential service inefficiencies and service bottlenecks. Optimisation of these areas by the CWP will lead to improved patient care and improved service effectiveness.
- Address the challenges in the delivery of patient care.
The programme facilitates area teams (Trust or ICS) to identify areas for optimisation within their Molecular Radiotherapy service for prioritisation. The programme will be carried out in a number of different institutions.
Expected Benefits:
Anticipated Benefits for Patients:
- Improvement of clinical pathways which may result in potentially fewer visits and shorter waiting times due to a more efficient clinical pathway
- Faster and more equitable access to the complete range of NICE approved treatment options
- Quality care improvements aligned to established best practices
Anticipated Benefits for the Organisation(s):
- Improved understanding of the current service pathway, and associated efficiencies and inefficiencies. Potential to lead to solutions which could allow the CW Partner’s organisation to enhance both patient experience and outcomes.
Anticipated Benefits for Novartis:
- Understanding of possible opportunities to partner with the CW Partner to enhance patient outcomes and experience. Better understanding of patients,’ carers and customers’ needs, which may inform future service offerings, and synergies between needs of the customer and value of Novartis offerings.
Start Date & Duration: July 2025, 16 weeks
FA-11473107 | July 2025
Project Name: Re‑imagining Care Pathways Collaborative Working Project (NRCP CWP) – Molecular Radiotherapy Service (University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust).
Organisation(s): University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD (the “CW Partner”)
Completion Date: April 2026
Outcomes Summary:
This Collaborative Working Project between University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited was undertaken to support pathway mapping of the Molecular Radiotherapy (MRT) service, focused on identifying potential service inefficiencies and bottlenecks, and on describing challenges affecting the delivery of patient care, to support local consideration of opportunities to improve service effectiveness and patient experience.
The project was delivered through a structured programme of seventeen one‑to‑one stakeholder interviews and a multi‑disciplinary pathway mapping workshop, involving NHS professionals across nuclear medicine, radiopharmacy, radiation protection, physics, administration and oncology. These activities enabled a detailed, end‑to‑end mapping of the current MRT pathway, from referral and MDT decision‑making through to treatment delivery and follow‑up.
Key Project Outcomes Data:
A number of system‑level themes relevant to the current delivery of MRT services emerged. These included:
- Constraints related to physical space and capacity
- Reliance on consultant availability within the treatment pathway
- Variation in referral and shared care processes
- Manual scheduling arrangements, and regulatory and radiopharmacy related dependencies.
Stakeholders consistently reported that patient experience within nuclear medicine was positive once treatment commenced, with delays most commonly arising earlier in the pathway.
Outcomes:
The project was facilitated by the Novartis Service Development Manager (SDM) Team and consisted of seventeen 1:1 interviews with NHS stakeholders involved in the molecular radiotherapy service, followed by a 1.5 hour interactive workshop.
The primary outcome of the project is a shared, evidence‑based view of the current MRT service pathway, highlighting areas of strength alongside opportunities for local consideration. In accordance with the project objectives, the outputs are descriptive and analytical in nature and are intended to support the Trust’s own planning and prioritisation discussions.
All decisions regarding service change, clinical practice or implementation remain the sole responsibility of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
Conclusion:
This project delivered a structured, descriptive mapping of the current Southampton Molecular Radiotherapy service pathway. The outputs provide a shared understanding of system strengths and constraints, supporting local consideration of service improvement opportunities.
FA-11673087 | May 2026