Amara Nwosu

MBCHB FRCP PhD

Tag Archives: innovation


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Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool win the ‘Culture for Innovation Award’ at the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards 2023

We are delighted to announce that Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool, in partnership with the Inclusionaries Lab, has won a prestigious award at an event recognising the best innovators and researchers in health and care in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and South Cumbria.

The North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards is the only health awards event for the region, run by three NHS bodies focussed on research and innovation. The Culture for Innovation Award was presented to Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool (in partnership with the Inclusionaries Lab, University of Liverpool) in recognition of the innovative ‘Designer in Residence’ project, which involves hosting a designer (Andrew Tibbles) in Marie Hospice Liverpool for a year, to research how design methods can improve future palliative care. This project has resulted in the opening of a temporary Research Hub in the clinical area of Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool, the creation of a prototype phone installation to capture people’s experiences of hospice care, and the development of future work to explore how design can support future digital legacy research.

Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool win the CULTURE FOR INNOVATION Award. North West Coast Research and Innovation Award 2023 at The Spine Liverpool.

Left to right: Dr Laura Chapman (Medical Director and Consultant in Palliative Care, Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool), Sarah Stanley (Research Nurse, Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool), Dr Amara Nwosu (Senior Clinical Lecture in Palliative Care, Lancaster University; Honorary Consultant in Palliative Care, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Research Lead, Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool), Andrew Tibbles (PhD Design student, the Inclusionaries Lab – University of Liverpool), Hayley Hawkins (Deputy Head of Operations, Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool).


Commenting on the award, Dr Amara Nwosu (Senior Clinical Lecture in Palliative Care, Lancaster University; Honorary Consultant in Palliative Care, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Research Lead, Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool) said “We are delighted to be the first palliative care winner of an award from North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards. Palliative care is an essential component to effective healthcare systems; we are proud that our innovative work to use design methods to shape palliative care services has been acknowledged through this wonderful award”.

Hosted by the Innovation Agency; Clinical Research Network North West Coast (CRN NWC); and Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARC NWC) the event attracted around 180 entries, of whom 36 were shortlisted in 12 categories. 

Special guest Professor Sir Stephen Powis, Medical Director of the NHS, said: “Every challenge we face is an opportunity to learn, collaborate and embrace new approaches to deliver improvements in the services we provide, for the benefit of patients, staff and the wider NHS. 

“As the NHS looks forward to its 75th birthday on 5th July, it is a good time to reflect on its journey and on the incredible research and innovation milestones that have transformed patient outcomes and that will help to build an NHS that is fit for the future.” 

The event took place at The Royal College of Physicians, The Spine in Liverpool, hosted by BBC TV North West and Breakfast presenter Roger Johnson. The full list of winners is below; to find out more about their entries, visit www.nwcawards.co.uk.  

WINNERS 2023

Culture for Innovation Award: Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool

Innovation in Workforce Development Award: Health Education England NW; Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust; University of Central Lancashire

Patient Safety and Care Improvement Award: Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Innovation Agency

Research Student of the Year Award: Piotr Teodorowski, University of Liverpool

Ruth Young Award for Research Implementation: Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Outstanding Contribution to Patient and Public Involvement Award: Lancaster University

Research Delivery Team of the Year Award: Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Research Collaboration of the Year Award: Marine Lake Medical Practice and Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Primary Care and/or Community Research Team of the Year Award: Lancaster Medical Practice

Unsung Hero: NHS 75th Anniversary Award: Sue Smith of One Wirral CIC

Tackling Health Inequalities Award: Liverpool John Moores University; University of Liverpool; Edge Hill University

Sustainability Award: Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Broadgreen University Hospital


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Investigation and management of iron deficiency anaemia in a specialist palliative care setting and the role of intravenous iron: a descriptive analysis of hospice data

Anaemia is common in hospice populations and associated with significant symptom burden. Guidelines recommend investigating for and treating iron deficiency (ID), but there is little evidence of this practice in palliative care populations. Our paper (published in AMRC Open Research) describes the results of investigations for and subsequent management of ID in Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool.

Our data demonstrates that iron deficiency is common and can be safely treated with intravenous iron replacement, within current guidelines, in a hospice setting. Further research should define the optimum use of this approach in palliative care patients.

More information can be found here:

Steele T, Bonwick H, Nwosu AC and Chapman L. Investigation and management of iron deficiency anaemia in a specialist palliative care setting and the role of intravenous iron: a descriptive analysis of hospice data [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]. AMRC Open Res 2021, 3:6 (https://doi.org/10.12688/amrcopenres.12963.1)

Medical photo created by rawpixel.com – www.freepik.com


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Learning through listening: The development of the ‘SAGE Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care’ podcast

I was delighted to be invited to write a guest blog for the European Association of Palliative Care (EAPC) website, about my role in developing podcasts for ‘Palliative Medicine’ in my role Digital Editor for the journal.

The full blog post can be found here:

Learning through listening EAPC guest blog

Screen Shot 2017-08-22 at 15.16.17

 

How to access the ‘SAGE Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care’ podcasts

  • Subscribe to the podcasts from iTunes here.

 


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The future of digital health? the King’s Fund Digital Health and Care Congress 2017

Much written about the potential to use digital tools to reform healthcare, concentrate on the short to medium term (i.e. 5- 10 years). However, many of the benefits from digital health will only be fully realised in the longer (i.e. >10 years) term. This is because benefits arising from disruptive technologies may only be achieved following the implementation of cultural, workforce and infrastructural change, which can take time to achieve.

The King’s Fund Digital Health Conference recenty took place across two days in London (11th – 12th July) and provided an opportunity for profesionals from different disciplines to discuss how digital technologies can be used to transform healthcare delivery in the long term. There were several speakers and workstream groups which covered discussion of the opportunities and challenges of these approaches, in addittion to providing many examples of current use of technological and workplace innovation.

Particular highlights for me was Rob Shaw’s (Interim Chief Executive for NHS Digital) talk about the NHS Digital’s perpective on the importance of utilising health data better to provide integrated care. Also, Nicola Perrin (Wellcome Trust) provided an overview of the ‘Understanding Pataient Data’ project, which looks to improve awareness in society (professionals and lay people) about the value of using healthcare data to support patient care. Furthermore, the Wellcome Trust this year will undertake a project which will examine public perceptions of the role of new emerging technology (e.g. artificial intelligence, machine learning) in healthcare.

Many of the talks at the conference had inter-connecting themes; highlighting the importance of forming policy to shape culture through engagement of wider society and professionals. Although there is evidence of innovative work in several areas, a lot of fragmentation is currenty present. Consequently, it is important for collaborations of partners with a shared common vision for digital health.

As an academic palliative medicine physician I am interested in the potential digital health applications to support the management of people with serious illness. If anyone is also interested in undertaking work in this area, please feel free to contact me.

Further information of the King’s Fund Digital Health Conference (and other events by the King’s Fund) can be found here:

https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/events/digital-health-and-care-congress-2017

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Poster about the ‘Palliative Medicine’ podcasts presented at the 2017 North West Annual Medical Leadership and Management Conference

I am currently the Digital Editor of the Palliative Medicine journal (the world’s highest ranked journal, peer reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to improving knowledge and clinical practice in the palliative care of patients with far advanced disease: http://journals.sagepub.com/home/pmj ). In this role I lead the development of podcasts to enable dissemination of the journals’ work to a wider audience. Essentially this work follows on from my foray into the podcast world through my AmiPal podcasts (https://soundcloud.com/mypal), which are podcasts about palliative care, technology and innovation.

On the 14th June I was delighted to present a poster about the development of these Palliative Medicine podcasts at the 2017 North West Annual Medical Leadership and Management Conference which took place in the AJ Bell stadium. The poster featured some initial data on the popularity of the podcasts and some download data. Essentially the podcasts are doing very well with many authors getting into the process of recording podcasts which have been well received.

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A link to the ‘SAGE Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care’ podcasts can be found through the Palliative Medicine site here: http://journals.sagepub.com/page/pmj/podcasts

You can subscribe to the podcasts from iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/sage-palliative-medicine-chronic/id1179036261?mt=2

The podcasts are available from most podcast app services by simply searching for ‘Palliative Medicine’. However, if you need the RSS feed to subscribe to can do find that here: http://sagepalliativemedicine.sage-publications.libsynpro.com/rss

If you’re an author of a paper published in Palliative Medicine are interested in recording a podcast, please feel free to contact me.


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MyPal podcast episode 7: Is there too much technology in healthcare?

In this episode of MyPal Dr Amara Nwosu discusses a recent article from the BMJ by Bjorn Morten Hofmann, University College of Gjovik which poses the question of whether there is too much technology in healthcare.

Too much Technology by Bjørn Morten Hofmann – BMJ 21/02/2015 (subscription required to access link)
http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h705

Digitalman

Copyright Dr Amara Nwosu, KingAmi media 2014. http://www.amaranwosu.com

Music by ‘Year of the Fiery Horse’ (YOTFH). Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/year-of-the-fiery-horse


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MyPal podcast ep6: Publishing in palliative care: importance, opportunities and tips for publication

In this episode of MyPal Dr Amara Nwosu provides an overview publishing in palliative care, discussing the importance of this and sharing some tips for potential authors. The audio was recorded to support an educational session as part of the Merseyside & Cheshire Palliative Care Network Audit Group.

architecture-books-building-2757-828x550

Copyright Amara Nwosu
www.amaranwosu.com

Music by Year of the Fiery Horse
@year-of-the-fiery-horse


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MyPal podcast: 3D printing in clinical practice – episode 5

In this episode of MyPal I discuss the recent BMJ editorial (by Mahiben Maruthappu) detailing the potential use of 3D printing in clinical practice.

Copyright Amara Nwosu
www.amaranwosu.com

Music by Year of the Fiery Horse
@year-of-the-fiery-horse

Image copyright of endgaget.com
www.engadget.com/2012/09/26/form-…ffordable-price/

References:

Mahiben Maruthappu, Bruce Keogh. How might 3D printing affect clinical practice?
BMJ 2014; 349 doi: dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g7709 (Published 30 December 2014)

Surgeon creates pelvis using 3D printer (Telegraph article)
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/106…3D-printer.html

3D printed heart saves baby’s life (article in Independent newspaper).
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gad…d-9776931.html

3-D printed windpipe gives infant breath of life (Nature)
www.nature.com/news/3-d-printed-…h-of-life-1.13085


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MyPal podcast: Nanotechnology to monitor cancer? The GoogleX project #4

Nanotechnology to diagnose and monitor cancer? Nanopills and smartwatches in disease management and treatment? Sounds like science fiction but that is what researchers at Google are working on right now! Dr Ami Nwosu discusses this in more depth.

Copyright Amara Nwosu
www.amaranwosu.com

Music by Year of the Fiery Horse
https://soundcloud.com/year-of-the-fiery-horse

References:
http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/07/google-x-sets-out-define-healthy-human


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MyPal podcast: Research and innovation in palliative care (episode 2). Now available on Soundcloud and iTunes

In the second episode of MyPal I the importance of research and innovation in palliative care. Catch it on SoundCloud. It’s also now available on iTunes!

iTunes link:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/mypal-palliative-care/id955964346?mt=2

Copyright Amara Nwosu
www.amaranwosu.com

Music by Year of the Fiery Horse
@year-of-the-fiery-horse

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References:

World Health Organization definition of palliative care:
www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/

Research in palliative care: can hospices afford not to be involved? (Payne et al. Lancaster University)

www.lancaster.ac.uk/shm/research/io…esearch-hth.pdf

Research into end-of-life cancer care—investment is needed. Sleeman et al
www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/…60230-X/fulltext

Patients want to be involved in end-of-life care research. Nwosu et al (BMJ spcare subscription needed)
spcare.bmj.com/content/3/4/457.extract