Engaged by a multinational top ten bio-pharmaceutical client to develop and implement their large scale, complex, multi-faceted, high-value national programme, with NHS England partners to enable the adoption of an innovative lipid-lowering preventative treatment delivered through primary care to 300,000 patients within two years, resulting in the prevention of 55,000 CV events and potentially saving 30,000 lives within the next decade.
This high profile first for both partners was designated as a governmental priority.
What
The delivery of this project, within the committed timeframes, with all activities and materials developed within a clear governance framework, working with the stakeholders (pharmaceutical partner, NHSE, AHSN and other third parties) to ensure equitable access to patients, meet the overall project objectives and to pave the way for future complex projects.
The Challenge
This consultancy ensured for that this complex project, at the forefront of thinking of collaborative working was how to apply these projects within an appropriate framework of governance which would outlast the duration of the project and stand up to external scrutiny. For this bold ambitious project, successful implementation had been frustrated by internal delays and slow decision-making; both were highly matrixed organisations governed by an over-arching legal agreement, but with many levels of agreements with senior teams were being implemented by teams on both sides who were relatively inexperienced in this type of project whilst navigating this complex pathway. The complexity of the project also meant that since this was a “first,” necessitated navigating a complex but unclear pathway and one which changed along the way. Many circular issues had been incompletely addressed, hampering successful rollout. The project was time-limited to 2 years of launch and delays therefore risked withdrawal of resources.
Activities
Planning and operational excellence were critical in this complex project, together with expertise in understanding both the primary care clinical delivery models and regulations governing both partner organisations. Adopting a cross-functional approach ensured consistency in assessment of risk, fast decision-making and ensured seamless project continuity. Problem-solving on the go removed barriers and ensured consistency of relationships, alignment with internal policy, the highest quality and ultimately patient safety throughout the project.
The key to this approach however was adopting a professional approach to relationship management (with both internal and external stakeholders), clarity of project KPIs and being mindful of potential barriers to implementation.
Over the two-year period of this costly high-profile project, an agile approach to problem solving ensured patients received access to preventative new medicine.
Solution
For a single initiative, over 400 high quality assets were developed, delivered and approved within a 2-month period (or ahead of time). Their implementation ensured that timelines for delivery were met (or exceeded) and enabled 80,000 patients access to treatment.
Upskilling of partners through a series of briefings and workshops developed appropriate ways of working through education and the development of a set of simple rules to enable informed decision-making. This capability development ensured informed independent decision-making.
The final phase was to develop an agile approach of working with third parties to enable rapid review of contracts and materials using a suitable platform for rapid offline review saving time in certification of materials.
Over the two-year period of this costly high-profile project, an agile approach to problem solving ensured patients received access to preventative new medicine.