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Research, Development and Innovation (RDI)

At NHS Ayrshire & Arran, our research, development and innovation (RDI) efforts are:

  • advancing healthcare
  • improving patient outcomes
  • ensuring the sustainability of our healthcare systems

Who we are

Our RDI team consists of 21 dedicated professionals.

Key members include:

  • Dr Carolina Borda-Niño-Wildman, Head of Research and Development: “With over 20 years of experience in research, teaching, and management, I lead our efforts to advance healthcare through innovative research.”
  • Danielle Gilmour, Lead Clinical Trials Nurse: “I manage a team of research nurses who support clinical trials, helping to bring cutting-edge treatments to our community.”
  • Libby Mullings, Senior Research Advisor “I oversee our Research Governance Team, ensuring that all research activities comply with regulatory standards and local policies.”

Why research, development, and innovation matter

There are several benefits to RDI:

  • Advancement of knowledge: Research enables healthcare professionals to deepen their understanding of health determinants, diseases, and treatments. It keeps them updated with the latest scientific discoveries and evidence-based practices.
  • Healthcare systems’ sustainability: Innovative research leads to new technologies and methods that enhance healthcare delivery efficiency, reducing costs and resource use for a more sustainable system.
  • Improvements in patient care: Research identifies new diagnostic techniques and treatments, improving patient care and outcomes. Participation in research studies helps evaluate the effectiveness and safety of healthcare procedures and therapies.
  • Enhancements in patient safety: Research focuses on patient safety and quality improvement, investigating and developing strategies that enhance safety.
  • Attracting and retaining talent: NHS organisations involved in research attract skilled healthcare professionals. Research opportunities provide intellectually stimulating work and collaboration with experts.
  • Healthcare breakthroughs: Participation in research can lead to significant breakthroughs, such as new treatments and technologies, providing patients with access to cutting-edge care.
  • Collaborative partnerships: Research often involves collaboration with other healthcare institutions, universities, and industry partners, fostering interdisciplinary knowledge exchange and resource sharing.

Research

Research governance in NHS Scotland ensures that all research activities meet high standards of:

  • quality
  • ethics
  • safety

It involves setting and maintaining standards to improve research quality, safeguard the public, and ensure that research is conducted responsibly and transparently.

Key principles of research governance

  • Ethical and scientific quality: Research must adhere to ethical guidelines and be scientifically sound. This includes following the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, which prioritises the rights, safety, and well-being of research participants over the interests of science and society.
  • Good practice: All individuals involved in research must be qualified and trained to perform their tasks. Research should be conducted according to established protocols and regulatory requirements.
  • Patient safety and data protection: The rights of research participants to physical and mental integrity, privacy, and data protection are paramount. Research must comply with data protection regulations.
  • Continuous improvement: Research governance involves learning from adverse incidents and implementing strategies to prevent poor performance and misconduct.

Research governance in practice

NHS Scotland’s research governance framework applies to everyone involved in healthcare research, including:

  • chief investigators
  • healthcare professionals
  • researchers
  • support staff

This framework ensures that research is conducted ethically and efficiently, with a focus on improving patient care and healthcare systems.

Resources

Innovation

NHS Scotland is dedicated to fostering innovation to improve health and social care services. Our innovation structure supports the development and implementation of innovative solutions that address the real needs of patients and the NHS.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran is a key player in this innovation drive, using its experience and keen interest in exploring new ideas to enhance patient care.

Project CAELUS

NHS Ayrshire & Arran has been at the forefront of several ground-breaking initiatives, such as Project CAELUS (Care and Equity Logistics UAS Scotland).

Project CAELUS is a national innovation programme which uses drones to transport medical supplies, significantly reducing delivery times for critical medicines and blood products.

Watch the NHS Ayrshire & Arran flight trial:

Project CAELUS is exploring the value aerial drones can add to a medical logistics network in Scotland, aiming to establish the UK’s first national drone logistics network.

Drone technology can speed up the delivery of critical medical supplies, such as blood products, medicines, and laboratory tests, to remote rural communities, enhancing local medical care and improving patient outcomes.

This project seeks to improve equity of care between urban and rural areas by demonstrating the viability, scalability, and efficiency of drone technology across the NHS.

Project CAELUS is part-funded by Innovate UK’s Future Flight fund and led by AGS Airports, with a consortium of 16 partners, including NHS Scotland.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran played a crucial role by providing data about each West of Scotland NHS facility and working closely with the NHS Ayrshire & Arran clinical lead, Dr Janet Hogg, to develop use cases. During live flight trials between Crosshouse Hospital and Arran War Memorial, NHS Ayrshire & Arran supported drone operators and local clinical staff at take-off and landing points (TOLPs) on Arran and at Crosshouse.

The project successfully validated many flights and assisted partners, such as the packaging company Intelsius, in proving they can maintain temperatures in a tamper-proof box for blood products and samples.

Technology Enabled Care 

NHS Ayrshire & Arran has implemented various remote health monitoring services, including telehealth and home health monitoring, to enhance patient care and accessibility. The Technology Enabled Care (TEC) programme focuses on public-facing digital solutions to improve outcomes for individuals in home or community settings.

Redesigning CAMHS

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in NHS Ayrshire & Arran have been redesigned to provide innovative solutions for young people experiencing anxiety.

This includes:

  • multi-disciplinary working
  • collaboration with partner agencies

The redesign features distinct teams within CAMHS, such as:

  • Specialist Community CAMHS
  • Neurodiverse CAMHS
  • CAMHS Urgent Assessment & Intensive Treatment

Simple but effective: The Rhinopinch® 

The Rhinopinch® was an idea of Dr Akuafo Agbenyega, an Accident and Emergency Consultant at NHS Ayrshire & Arran, developed alongside InnoScot Health.

This lightweight adjustable plastic nasal clip staunches nosebleeds, while comfortably fitting the patient’s nose and saving time and effort.

It is particularly useful for paramedics and nursing staff, and can be used by non-clinicians such as nursery and schoolteachers. It is now available from Amazon and other retailers.

CivTech Challenge 9.2

CivTech Challenge 9.2 aims to empower women to better understand menopause and access the right support.

Adora Digital Health and Lumino are developing digital solutions for menopause management. The goal is to support national adoption. 

Our Research, Development, and Innovation strategy

  • Strategic alignment: Our strategy aligns with the Caring for Ayrshire vision, ensuring that our RDI efforts support the organisation’s priorities and deliver high-quality care.
  • Key areas of interest: We work in all areas of healthcare and offer to patients in Ayrshire & Arran access to the latest new treatments through our research portfolio.
  • Sustainability and culture: We strive to ensure a sustainable RDI service and strengthen a research culture across the organisation.

Current projects

  • Ongoing Research: We conduct over 180 research projects annually across various specialties and service areas. Our active research staff work to drive positive change and improve healthcare outcomes.

Contact

If you have any questions or need further information, please contact our RDI team: