The CW Innovation programme is jointly led by CW+ and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. It paves the way for new ideas – and new ways of using existing ideas – that will improve patient care, patient experience and the way the Trust’s hospitals and clinics are run.
Christina Sothinathan, Innovation Business Partner, supports the Trust to deploy digital solutions, including AI, which improve patient pathways and reduce clinician burden. Here, Christina talks about the importance of partnerships and how they help drive innovation.
How does CW Innovation choose the right partners for projects at the Trust?
At CW Innovation, we have worked with more than 100 partners, from national NHS digital programmes, international healthcare organisations and research institutions to entrepreneurs and SMEs. We prioritise working with reputable partners who align with our values and understand the strategic direction of the Trust. These partners play a key role in helping us deliver the best care to our patients and local community. We also engage with numerous companies, though not all of them become partners.
An example of a long-standing partnership of over seven years is DigitalHealth.London, which has supported us across a range of projects. We contribute to several of its programmes, including Accelerator, of which we are a founding partner. Additionally, we co-deliver the highly successful Horizon Fellowship programme with DigitalHealth.London, which supports Trust staff to develop and deliver their innovation projects. This has resulted in several projects becoming integral parts of the Trust’s operations.
Can you share a success story from a collaboration?
There have been many successful collaborations at CW Innovation. One standout example is our partnership with the London Borough of Hounslow on the Digital Inclusion for Social and Health Impact (DISH) project, which explores how digital exclusion impacts different communities’ access to healthcare.
This initiative won an MJ Award for taking a whole-team approach to tackling health inequalities, and was featured in The Health Foundation’s report on Trust and Confidence in Technology-Enabled Care. What made this collaboration particularly powerful was the involvement of both a healthcare provider and a local authority, showcasing the power of cross-sector partnerships in improving community health.
How do partnerships help speed up innovation in healthcare? Can you provide any examples of impact or improved outcomes?
Partnerships are instrumental in accelerating healthcare innovation. We are proud to be a member of the NHS InSites programme, which began in April 2022 and helps spread innovation across NHS organisations by testing new solutions in real-world settings. By generating evidence on the effectiveness of innovations, supporting organisational capabilities, and fostering an innovation culture, partnerships enable rapid adoption and scaling of impactful solutions. With 18 sites now involved, the programme helps speed up the innovation process.
How have partnerships made a difference in patient care?
At CW Innovation, our collaborative efforts have significantly improved patient care in several areas:
- GE Healthcare: We teamed up with GE Healthcare on a research project using their Novel Ambulatory Monitoring System. In a study of 32 patients, we found that continuous vital-sign monitoring can lead to earlier detection of patient deterioration, reducing hospital stays and improving outcomes. The study was conducted at West Middlesex University Hospital using GE’s Portrait Mobile platform. An analysis identified the potential for hospitals such as West Middlesex University Hospital to save up to £2m a year by using wireless telemetry systems. Larger-scale studies are underway at the Trust to further evidence benefits and understand the potential of this technology to improve the management of patients on general medical wards.
- Skin Analytics: This partnership uses AI-driven teledermatology to help diagnose and treat patients with skin cancer more quickly and has been hugely successful. Read more about its impressive results.
- Ufonia: Over the last two years, we’ve worked with Ufonia to streamline the cataract pathway, focusing on reducing Did Not Attend rates and improving conversion rates. Using Ufonia’s voice AI systems, which automates the process of interacting with patients through phone calls or voice message, key performance metrics have been achieved, including a 65% success rate for pre-op assessments and an 81% success rate for pre-surgery reminders. Collaborative work from clinicians, CW Innovation and Ufonia led to a smooth and rapid deployment of the technology, meaning more patients benefited more quickly. As a result of this successful partnership, we were invited to contribute to the NHS Confederation’s publication on AI in healthcare.
Looking ahead, how will partnerships be important for CW Innovation’s future?
Looking ahead to the next five years, partnerships will continue to play a crucial role in our mission. Strengthening our collaboration with Hounslow Council, for example, will be key in advancing population health management using data. Working with external partners will help us implement innovations that address long-term healthcare challenges.
Do you foresee partnerships changing in the next few years to meet evolving healthcare challenges?
Yes, partnerships will be pivotal in tackling emerging healthcare challenges, especially in areas like population health management, long-term condition prevention, and addressing the needs of an ageing population. Collaborations will also be vital for addressing gender-specific health concerns, such as the impact of menopause on women’s health and workforce participation. The economic case for investing in women’s health services has already gained recognition, and partnerships will be essential for implementing effective solutions in this area.
By continuing to foster these dynamic partnerships, CW Innovation is not only improving patient care today but also paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable healthcare system in the future.
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