Akeso were engaged by a London ICS to provide programme management expertise for an NHS national pilot programme supporting the delivery of an Electronic Eyecare Referral System between community optometry and secondary care ophthalmology.
INSIGHT
The Electronic Eyecare Referral System (EeRS) pilot, jointly commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement and NHS in November 2020 was a pilot programme that sought to achieve:
- Electronic referral management between primary and secondary care
- The ability to share complex diagnostic images (e.g., Optical Coherence Tomography Scan (OCT scan)
ACTIONS
With eERS being procured and managed on a regional basis, Akeso were engaged by a London ICS to support the roll-out of eERS within the region. The Akeso project team were responsible for standing up the programme management, maintaining oversight of the budget, supplier and contract compliance, and working with a diverse stakeholder group from independent, private and NHS sectors.
With 6 workstreams including Information Governance, Communications, Clinical Safety, Digital Integration, Commissioning and Evaluation, Akeso ensured the project progressed to timeline, with the London region being a national exemplar, with the highest level of optometry engagement as well as being first-movers in implementing a technical integration into secondary care and resolving IG issues.
RESULTS
Owing to Akeso’s programme management support, the proof-of-concept eERS programme in London was evaluated at the end of Year 1, with a board approval to continue due to its success. Following a period of transfer, Akeso then upskilled the existing internal team to deliver the programme.
