Project Name: Torbay MS Co-Ordinator Project Joint Working Project
Project Summary:
This was a joint working project between Torbay & Devon NHS FT & Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited. The aim of the Joint working project (JWP) is to recruit an FTE MS Co-ordinator to support non clinical patient management, and provide education on the Multiple Sclerosis Patient Knows Best (MSPKB) tool to patients. This will address the staff shortages being experienced by the JW Partner and help tackle the backlog of patients by speeding up the review of patient records, and increasing clinical service capacity by delegating non clinical activities to the MS co-ordinator.
Planned Milestones:
| Milestone | Description | Planned Completion |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Project kick off meeting | September 2022 |
| 2 | Recruitment of MS Co-Ordinator and baseline measurements submitted | Up to 3 months from milestone 1. Due to a delay to recruitment, milestone 2 will now be delivered before end December 2023. |
| 3 | Clinical initiation | Up to 2 month of milestone 2 |
| 4 | 3-month data collection | 3 months after milestone 3 |
| 5 | 6-month data collection | 3 months after milestone 4 |
| 6 | 9-month data collection | 3 months after milestone 5 |
| 7 | Business case submitted & Project Outcomes Summary completed | Originally planned to be delivered in September 2023, due to delay to recruitment, milestone 7 will now be delivered within 3 months of milestone 6. |
Expected Benefits:
Benefits to patients
- Improved patient outcomes due to faster time from referral to treatment time;
- Improved access to NICE recommended therapy;
- Enhanced patient experience of the NHS MS service by reducing unnecessary waiting times.
Benefits to Torbay and South Devon NHSFT
- Improved quality of care;
- Reduction in patient waiting lists;
- Improved MDT efficiency and outcomes;
- Improved experience of staff by spreading workload
Benefits to Novartis
- Better understanding of overall customers’ and patients’ needs;
- Optimal use of medicines (including Novartis medicines) in appropriate patients
Start Date & Duration: September 2022-December 2024 or before depending on recruitment process
UK2309129800
Project Name: Torbay Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Co-Ordinator Project Joint working (the “JWP”)
Partner Organisation(s): Torbay and South Devon NHSFT
Completion Date: 28-October-2024
Outcome Summary:
This was a joint working project between Torbay & Devon NHS FT & Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited. During the course of the project, the MS Patient Knows Best (MS PKB) tool has seen an increase of 56 new registrations. The Joint Working (JW) MS service also noted that there is an incremental reduction in referral to treatment time (RTT), from project baseline 36.4% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks which increased to 60% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks.
Key Project Outcomes Data:
The collaboration saw the introduction of an MS Co-Ordinator (band 4) to the JW Partner’s MS service, to support non clinical patient management and provide education on the MS Patient Knows Best (MS PKB) tool.
The JW Partner’s MS service registered.
- An incremental increase in the identification of 22 new patients diagnosed inside the duration of the project (583 versus a baseline of 561).
- An increase of 56 patients being registered on the MS Patient Knows Best (PKB) app during the course of the project.
- The MS service also noted that there is an incremental reduction in referral to treatment time (RTT), from project baseline 36.36% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks which increased to 60% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks.
- The JW Partner has submitted a business case for future funding of the JWP role post project.
Outcomes:
The dedicated MS coordinator’s support of the MS PKB platform saw an increase of 56 patients registering in the tool (100 registered users at project baseline, which increased to 156 at project end). Peak total log ins also increased from 25 log ins (at project baseline) to a peak of 206 within 6 months of the JWP. Ultimately, this was achieved through increased levels of patient communication through multiple channels e.g., face to face clinics, emails, postal letters, and attending community groups, as well as utilising message features hosted through MS PKB itself. All of which take time to not only generate messages but also monitor and field responses.
The MS service also noted that there is an incremental reduction in referral to treatment time (RTT), from project baseline 36.4% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks which increased to 60% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks.
Quote from Partner:
“The integration of technology and care is an inevitability, and this is all the same in the world of MS. While these improvements in technology assist clinicians and patients in monitoring and managing disease I feel the improvements that are made in connection and communication are just as vital.”
Finn Moxon MS coordinator
Conclusion:
During the course of the project, there was an increase of 56 patients being registered on the MS Patient Knows Best (PKB) app during the course of the project.
The MS service also noted that there is an incremental reduction in referral to treatment time (RTT), from project baseline 36.4% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks which increased to 60% of patients waiting ≤ 18 weeks.
The JW Partner has submitted a business case for future funding of the JWP role post project.
FA-11367476 | March 2025