Helping the NHS get better and safer, faster

Image of a nurs with patient in a wheelchair

April 6, 2022, by lizst4

To mark World Health Day, we’re shining a light on how Nottingham University Business School researchers from the Centre for Health Innovation, Leadership and Learning (CHILL) are working with doctors and nurses from across the National Health Service (NHS) to improve treatments for patients.

The NHS is one of the best health care systems in the world, but an area where it can improve is getting new treatments into the system faster and making them available to every patient who could benefit.

Studying new treatments to benefit patients

CHILL’s researchers collaborate on over £7 million worth of research projects – funded by the National Institute for Health Research – to address this issue. They are studying a wide range of new treatments, many of which have already been scientifically proven to be effective. Our research will help get these new treatments into the NHS where the maximum number of patients could benefit.

Research areas include:

A new intervention to help people who have been badly injured ultimately get back to work, which has substantial mental and physical health benefits, as well as economic benefits.
A new assessment and treatment pathway for people with multiple sclerosis to improve (often neglected) mental health and cognitive function.
An evidence-based exercise class which prevents falls in older adults.
Improving the quality of life in people living with dementia.
Improving services for people with osteoporosis.
Examining the effectiveness of mental health ‘recovery colleges’.

Dr Simon Bishop, Director of CHILL says:

We have been working on improving quality, safety and the implementation of evidence in healthcare for the past 10 years. This often includes looking differently at how healthcare is organised, managed and how healthcare work gets done in practice. A key theme of the work of CHILL is recognising the work done by healthcare professionals in achieving results within a system that is often under strain.

Patient safety in the NHS

CHILL’s researchers are also actively involved in making the NHS safer for patients. For example, Professor Carl Macrae works with the Care Quality Commission (the statutory regulatory for health and social care in England. His recent projects include looking at ways to use artificial intelligence safely in health services. He is currently beginning work to evaluate the implementation of the Patient Safety Incidence Response Framework.

Other CHILL research on patient safety has included a study on how hospitals can better prevent infections after surgery.

CHILL is committed to doing practical, real-world research that improves care for patients across the NHS.