Congratulations to our colleagues in the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) who have been awarded the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Partnership Award for Best Mental Health Partnership.
Almost 57,000 people (aged 6-18 years) have received an objective assessment for ADHD since Academic Health Science Networks began to support a new digital innovation, QbTest.
Evaluation of the national implementation is being led by MindTech's Dr Charlotte Hall and project managed by Caitlin Hand of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
The innovation, which speeds up the time to diagnosis, has improved patient experience and saved the NHS a potential £19.5m since 2017*. It is being used in 59 trusts across 113 sites - just over half of the NHS providers of ADHD assessments for this age group.
Pioneered in the East Midlands, QbTest is an approved computer-supported objective test which measures attention, motor activity and impulsivity – the core symptoms of ADHD.
The results are instantly analysed and presented in a report which compares a patients’ results against a normative dataset based on age and gender.
ADHD practitioners then use information from the QbTest report alongside their clinical assessment to inform their decision whether the young person has ADHD or not.
There are several research and evaluation studies that demonstrate the benefits of QbTest in aiding diagnosis including an evaluation led by the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network which found time to diagnostic decision was reduced by five months.
As part of the Focus ADHD National Programme, the 15 Academic Health Science Networks across England are supporting clinical services to improve their ADHD assessment pathway with the implementation of QbTest.
The Focus ADHD programme can have a positive impact on young people and families by reducing the number of appointments needed for clinical diagnosis, meaning that clinicians can see more patients. The new pathway can also generate increased clinical confidence and understanding while increasing efficiencies for the service.
Dara Coppel, Head of Innovation Programme Delivery, East Midlands AHSN said: “I am delighted that Focus ADHD has won the HSJ Partnership Award for the best mental health partnership with the NHS.
“The Focus ADHD national programme is a brilliant example of what can be achieved through dedicated, multi-sector, collaborative leadership. We have been successful in implementing this evidence-based intervention across 59 trusts so far, to improve timely access to assessment and diagnosis for children and families. Our aim is for every child clinic in England to implement this innovation.”
Tony Doyle, Managing Director, Qbtech said: “Working on Focus ADHD has been an absolute pleasure and I would like to thank all colleagues working on the programme from the AHSNs and Qbtech. Together we have made a real difference and continue to improve the lives of those living with ADHD.”
To find out more about the programme visit www.emahsn.org.uk/our-work/innovations/focus-adhd
Watch the video to see how it has impacted one family’s life.
* Based on a saving of £343 per patient which was identified by findings from the East Midlands Real World Demonstrator between January and December 2017.
About the AHSNs: There are 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) across England, set up by the NHS to find and spread innovative ways to deliver healthcare services.
Throughout the country the AHSNs are driving hundreds of technologies that are helping transform the lives of patients.