Partnership working is the future and, with efficiency savings of £20 billion to be made, all stakeholders in health need to embrace innovation and work together to realise QIPP without compromising on quality and deliver better patient-centred disease management.

For that reason, PharmaTimes and healthcare network organisation Visions4Health have launched a special one-day speed dating event to bring together CCGs and NHS providers with qualified healthcare industry stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies, telehealth/technology organisations, home healthcare organisations, diagnostics, devices and data providers.

Unique to this meeting is research currently being conducted by Visions4Health that will identify potential projects with CCGs and NHS providers, and qualify their interest in forming partnerships with suppliers. The information from these ‘pre-scoping’ telephone interviews – which includes details on project objectives, anticipated outcomes, and desired partner profile – will also be used to ensure a good mix of potential ‘partners’ at the meeting.

On the day, the meeting will run in four parallel streams, with NHS partners outlining their partnership projects before taking a Q&A and then ‘speed dating’ with industry stakeholders.

“This provides a jumping off platform to further the dialogue with potential partners and get projects started sooner rather than later,” notes Sabina Syed, managing director of Visions4Health. “By pooling expertise and leveraging both public/private sector experience and resources, delegates may add more ideas to the mix to evolve the project scope and so achieve better results for patients”.

“Indeed, a number of projects have already been pre-scoped,” says Sean Morgan-Jones of organisers PharmaTimes. “So far we have received interest from around 25 CCGs/providers, including Wirral, Richmond, Southport and Form by, NHS South Sefton, and County Durham CCGs, looking for partnership in the areas of medicines optimisation, respiratory (COPD/asthma), patient education and post discharge care. We are hoping to have up to 50 pre-scoped projects to present on the day itself.”

For the NHS, the Partnerships in Health speed dating is an efficient way to meet potential partners who will assist them in achieving their priorities for the year ahead. Similarly it will help pharma pinpoint the people they need to be engaging with in the new NHS.

This event is also being combined with PharmaTimes Partnerships in Health competition and awards, which will recognise the best existing partnership projects - both current and in development - between the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS. Our executive steering group, comprising experts from the NHS, DH, and industry, will decide the winning projects and which partnership projects best help to improve health outcomes for patients. 

To discuss a potential project for the Partnerships in Health Speed Dating Day, contact Sabina Syed on Sabina@visions4health.com or telephone 0870 919 5108 ext 1000 for more information.

To enter the Partnerships in Health Competition and Awards for best new, established or diffused partnership, click here.