Our expertise in information governance has played a crucial role in improving surgical outcomes through the Surgery Hero project, reducing complications, minimising cancellations, and shortening post-surgery stays.

Background

In response to the increasing need for elective surgery optimisation, the Medical Director, and senior information risk owner (SIRO) of an Integrated Care Board, asked NHS Midlands and Lancashire (NHS ML) to assist and advise on information governance (IG) and data protection for implementing a crucial new prehab/rehab solution: Surgery Hero.

Action

Given the urgency to address the elective care backlog, it was imperative to establish a robust structure for widespread data sharing across the wider Integrated Care System (ICS) while ensuring compliance with IG regulations.

Our IG team played a crucial role in putting all the necessary IG measures in place to enable the smooth execution of data sharing. We meticulously crafted a series of comprehensive documents that served as the foundation for the project’s implementation. These included a Data Protection Impact Assessment, which assessed the potential risks and outlined mitigation strategies, a Data Sharing Agreement, which formalised the terms and conditions of data sharing, and a Data Processing Agreement, which specified how data would be handled and processed. These agreements provided the necessary statutory IG framework that ensured compliance with regulations.

The documents were thoughtfully designed to be adaptable to the specific requirements of any ICS setup across the NHS, providing flexibility without compromising IG standards.

By formulating these flexible documents, we facilitated the seamless integration of the project across the ICS, allowing for efficient and compliant mass data sharing.

Impact

We ensured strict adherence to guidance and statutory requirements, guaranteeing the security of data and compliance with regulations. Our role within Surgery Hero has had a significant impact on improving surgical outcomes. 

Our support facilitated the safe and secure sharing of data across the wider ICS, enabling the seamless implementation of Surgery Hero. As a result, this has successfully reduced complications, shortened post-surgery stays, and minimised cancellations. Without our involvement in this project, patients awaiting surgery would have experienced a deterioration in their mental and physical health, leading to undesirable surgical outcomes, such as prolonged hospital stays, increased readmissions, and higher rates of complications.

Surgery Hero, renowned as a best-in-class prehab/rehab solution according to the NHS Perioperative Digital Playbook, has been consistently and effectively implemented in numerous NHS projects. These implementations consistently showcase improved surgical outcomes. Through our collaboration with Surgery Hero, NHS ML has provided targeted support, focusing specifically on adherence to information governance regulations when working across systems.

Our collaboration with Surgery Hero has yielded impressive results, including a notable reduction in post-operative chest infections and an overall decrease in complications. We have observed a positive shift in patients’ health behaviours, further contributing to enhanced surgical outcomes. The established information governance structure and documentation agreements can now be used throughout the NHS, providing an off-the-shelf solution that streamlines implementation and ensures data security.

Feedback

Our CSU colleagues have brought significant value to this project. Under Chloe Whittle’s (NHS ML’s Senior Information Governance Consultant) guidance, the team has adeptly tackled information governance(IG) challenges, unlocking the potential of our collaborative project, and enabling other partners to progress confidently with high standards of IG governance. Their proactive attitude perfectly encapsulates a team that goes above and beyond to ensure information governance and good clinical care align safely, with insight and innovation.

Professor Rowan Pritchard Jones FRCS(Plast) | ICB Medical Director and SIRO

Working with the CSU on this project has been a rewarding experience. Their proficiency in utilising resources from other NHS regions and projects to expedite the project’s timeline while limiting the need for additional artefacts was particularly commendable. This approach not only guaranteed the project’s success but also highlighted their exceptional expertise and skill set. Their significant contributions have positively impacted the project outcome, and we sincerely thank them for their extraordinary work and commitment to excellence.

Luke Eastwood | Managing Director ~ Surgery Hero