Digital support for non-clinical staff to promote the use of virtual consultations

Catherine Quarrell and Charles Patterson

Powys Teaching Health Board

Background:

Administrative staff are often the invisible heroes in health care. This project aims to enhance engagement, motivation and confidence, to encourage staff to promote use of digital technologies and virtual consultations.

The NHS in Wales has had to rapidly adapt and change service provision to sustain health care and Non-Clinical staff have been expected to embrace this change during a relatively short period of time and often with little support or engagement.

The project will empower administrators to choose virtual consultations as an alternative to more traditional methods of delivery such as face to face and telephone consultations.

Project Aims:

Making the Pain and Fatigue Management Service a Digital First service

To create a skilled and compassionate workforce that embraces the use of digital technologies.

A focus on empowering staff by providing more information and encouraging self-management, electronic booking, the use of web applications and other new technologies.

Developing a sustainable service model that ensures the right service from the right professional in the right place at the right time.

Transforming and developing our workforce and the way the service is delivered

Challenges:

Changing practices that are embedded in the way people work takes time. The project team has overcome these challenges through a series of structured meetings and alternative methods for obtaining valuable feedback from colleagues, that contributed to a review of current administrative practices and a shared passion to achieve outcomes that would benefit both staff and individuals accessing the service.

Remaining positive and being enthusiastic about the work that we are doing has also enabled us to remain motivated during the more difficult times.

Key Outcomes:

Developing a standardised approach through group and 1:1 coaching sessions, information sharing and development of shared user resources to ensure more efficient processes are implemented which will result in increased uptake of virtual consultations versus more traditional methods.

To ensure that we keep Person Centred Design at the forefront of the process, the service’s Experience Panel and clinical and non-clinical members of the team will be involved at all stages of the process through regular updates and group feedback sessions.

Feedback:

Next Steps:

The programme continues to adapt to current workforce issues, utilising the skills and knowledge of our existing team to train and develop the new recruits and to take what we have learned through the project and share this with the wider health board.

A partnership is currently being established with Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) to develop links with their newly appointed digital support team. This in turn will help to improve digital literacy and reduce isolation and loneliness for patients, particularly during these times.

As a result of this project, Powys Teaching Health Board has provided twelve months funding to roll out the project to services across the Health Board.

Our Exemplar Experience:

The experience has reinforced my belief in the health boards desire for change. Being able to connect more broadly with health and social care professionals has added depth to understanding of challenges, including the need to rebuild communities post-Covid-19.

Showcase:

Contact:

Catherine Quarrell: Catherine.quarrell@wales.nhs.uk

Charles Patterson: Charles.patterson@wales.nhs.uk

Twitter: @PTHBPainFatigue