Webinar: Bridging the Gap: How Pharma and NHS Collaboration Can Unlock Successful Patient Engagement

This webinar was chaired by Dr Juhi Tandon: a GP, and Medical Director and Co-founder of Cognitant.

She was joined by 3 speakers:

• Nigel Brokenshire – Head of Digital Healthcare UK, Bayer
• Hassan Chaudhury – Digital health entrepreneur and advisor
• Neil Roberts – Chief Executive Officer at South East Health Technologies Alliance

Watch the full recording of the webinar here

https://youtu.be/Qc9wvt-M60E

Introduction

In the introduction, Dr Juhi Tandon set the stage for the discussion, outlining the key topics to be explored during the 45-minute webinar. These topics included:

• defining patient engagement
• discussing its importance for both the NHS and Pharma
• exploring potential stakeholders in collaborations
• examining successful collaborations and challenges
• and addressing how the impact of collaboration is measured.

Each speaker provided a brief background and personal connection to patient engagement, setting the stage for a discussion on patient engagement and its significance for the NHS and Pharma.

Hassan Choudhury emphasised his experience in real-world evidence using NHS data and his passion for helping communities access healthcare services.

Neil Roberts discussed his background in health technology development and the importance of considering the patient perspective, especially for chronic conditions.

“There are about 15 million people suffering from chronic conditions that that need management… that’s about 25% of the population” Neil Roberts

Nigel Brokenshire shared his unique healthcare background and commitment to patient-centric approaches in the digital health and pharmaceutical fields.

How would you define patient engagement? Is patient engagement crucial?

The discussion delved into the concept of patient engagement and its significance. The speakers shared their perspectives on why patient engagement is crucial.

Hassan Choudhury started by emphasising that many healthcare services are designed without meaningful patient engagement, often resulting in paternalistic approaches where decisions are made first, and patients are engaged afterward as a checkbox exercise. He advocates for designing services in a way that involves communities and patients from the beginning through co-production, aiming to eliminate health inequalities.

“When I see people struggle to access services, which is only one dimension of the health inequalities picture, it’s often because those services have been designed and then patients are engaged after the fact, almost like a tick box exercise.” Hassan Chaudhury

Hassan also touched on the concept of the quintuple aim in healthcare, which focuses on improving caregiver experience, patient experience, population health outcomes, per capita cost of care, and health equity. He highlighted the importance of reinforcing these aims through patient engagement for the overall improvement of healthcare systems.

“The quintuple aim is interesting because each of the five aims reinforce the other – that if we increase the joy at work and the caregiver experience of care, that should have the knock-on effect of improving the patient experience of care, which should hopefully improve the population health outcomes and should improve as a result, the per capita cost of care. The fifth of the quintuple aim generally is health equity. If we don’t solve all of those issues, we are going to continue driving our health and care system into the mud.” Hassan Chaudhury

Nigel Brokenshire shared his experience from the pharmaceutical industry and how involving patients in discussions changes the nature of decision-making. He emphasised the need to have patients at the table from the outset of discussions, which can lead to better communication and understanding.

Nigel further discussed the role of pharmaceutical companies in bringing medicines to market and the importance of aligning innovation with the NHS’s priorities and patient needs. He suggested that cooperation between pharmaceutical companies, the NHS, and patients can create a triple win, benefiting all parties involved.

“We’ve got a great opportunity here for, for pharma to support and partner with the NHS to address some of these big agendas we’ve currently got at the moment… we need to make sure that innovation is fully aligned because there’s no point in us trying to bring something new to market if it’s not addressing some of these big challenges.” Nigel Brockenshire

How can we improve NHS and Pharma collaborations on patient engagement? Are there examples of successful collaboration?

The webinar followed with an exploration of how we might drive increased collaboration between Pharma and the NHS.

Neil Roberts highlighted the importance of moving beyond the term “collaboration” and emphasised the need for robust policy mandates and frameworks to drive meaningful change, particularly in patient engagement. He mentioned the success of initiatives like the quality outcomes framework in influencing practice and behaviour.

Neil also discussed the growing role of digital health technologies, with an emphasis on the explosion of health apps and their potential to enhance patient care pathways. He mentioned examples of collaboration between Pharma and the NHS, such as patient support programs funded by the pharmaceutical industry, which are designed to benefit patients without cost to the NHS.

Hassan Choudhury challenged the idea of starting with policy and instead advocated for starting with projects that demonstrate outcomes and value. He suggested that successful projects create momentum and excitement, which can then lead to the development of supportive policies.

“I’m a fan of starting with momentum where projects begin and they show outcomes, they show value, people get excited and then the policy embraces it now.” Hassan Chaudhury

Hassan also highlighted the need for individuals who can drive projects and execution effectively, referring to them as “key operations leaders.” He mentioned specific leaders in the NHS who have successfully executed projects, such as Professor Partha Kar and his work in diabetes management.

What are the challenges that pharma faces when collaborating with NHS?

The discussion continued to explore the challenges faced by pharmaceutical companies when collaborating with the NHS and how to approach collaborations effectively.

Nigel Brokenshire highlighted several challenges that pharmaceutical companies encounter when trying to collaborate with the NHS:

1. Navigating the Complex NHS Landscape: The complexity of the NHS system, with its multiple integrated care systems (ICSs), can make it challenging for pharmaceutical companies to identify the right stakeholders and decision-makers.
2. Building Trust: Establishing trust between pharmaceutical companies and the NHS can be challenging, as there may be scepticism about the industry’s motivations. Being open, transparent, and clear about goals and intentions is crucial to building trust.
3. Regulatory Compliance: Pharmaceutical companies need to adhere to regulatory codes, such as the ABPI Code, which can impact the agility and speed of collaboration.
4. Demonstrating Return on Investment: It’s essential to show the NHS and other stakeholders the value and impact of collaborations, including how they benefit patients and healthcare professionals.

Nigel emphasised the importance of the new Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in the UK as a potential avenue for collaboration. However, he noted that there are still 42 ICSs to navigate, which requires careful consideration of the limited resources available within each system.

“I think the ICS model is something which we should be proud of and .. I think that allows pharma the ability to, to have discussions at a high level across pathways” – Nigel Brockenshire

Hassan Choudhury added that pharmaceutical companies should not rely solely on predefined pathways for collaboration but should actively seek out individuals and organisations that are driving change and innovation within the NHS. He suggested that pharmaceutical companies have become adept at identifying those who are making a difference and engaging with them directly to create meaningful collaborations.

How can we address some of these challenges of NHS and pharma collaboration?

Neil Roberts discussed the importance of strategic partnerships and aligning common goals between pharmaceutical companies and the NHS. He emphasised the need for transparency and clear communication in these partnerships to ensure that all stakeholders understand the common aims and potential impacts of their collaborations.

Nigel Brokenshire also stressed the importance of transparency and open dialogue between pharmaceutical companies and the NHS. He suggested that strategic partnerships should focus on common objectives and aims, with no hidden agendas. Nigel emphasised the need for different stakeholders to work together to achieve their shared goals.

The world is run by incentives. How can Pharma help bring solutions to address some of the NHS challenges?

Hassan Choudhury suggested that there is no need to strike a balance between the commercial interests of pharmaceutical companies and healthcare outcomes for patients. He believes that all stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies, are interested in the same goal: improving healthcare outcomes and access to innovative therapies. Hassan argued that aligning efforts and removing barriers to innovation should be the focus, rather than seeking a balance between interests.

“I think we should be trying to align our different energies to the same goal and, and it IS one goal. It’s not just access to the service that patients need, it’s access to innovative therapies. And if we don’t enable pharma to get access to those patients, we won’t get access to those therapies.” Hassan Chaudhury

How can we improve collaboration between life sciences companies, the NHS, and other stakeholders to facilitate patient engagement?

The panel discussion highlighted several key points related to improving collaboration between life sciences companies, the NHS, and other stakeholders to facilitate patient engagement:

1. Access to Decision Makers: Nigel Brokenshire emphasised the need for easier access to decision-makers within the NHS to maintain momentum and drive collaboration forward effectively.
2. Understanding Patient Behaviour: Nigel also pointed out the importance of understanding patient behaviour early on to ensure that any initiatives support patients’ health and well-being effectively.
3. Reimagine Healthcare: Hassan Choudhury emphasised the need to reimagine healthcare, focusing on management-enabled, clinically-led, community-owned, and pharma-supported approaches. He stressed the importance of breaking away from traditional thinking and incentives to build a more sustainable healthcare system. “You’ve got to talk the language of the patient but also make it culturally resonate with that audience to help them understand their conditions”
4. Perfect Coordination for Patients: Neil Roberts envisioned perfect coordination for patients as the top priority, ensuring that patients have a clear understanding of their care journey and are actively engaged in decision-making.

What does meaningful impact look like and how can we measure it?

Neil Roberts was invited to discuss the concept of meaningful impact in patient engagement and how to measure it. Neil emphasised that impact should be assessed based on the difference it makes and highlight the importance of measurement as a prerequisite for improvement.

“With better patient engagement, we can fuel better compliance, better utilization, better informed compliance, which then enhances our, our chances of getting better health outcomes.” Neil Roberts

He continued that meaningful impact is described as having two components:

1. Objective, measurable elements: These include better health outcomes, which can be improved through enhanced patient engagement leading to better compliance and informed decision-making. The argument is that patient engagement can positively affect health outcomes.
2. Efficiency and cost-effectiveness: Digital health technologies, including AI capabilities, are mentioned as tools that can streamline processes and save time and money in healthcare delivery.
3. Subjective elements: Neil also acknowledged the significance of subjective elements in assessing impact, such as the emotional well-being and satisfaction of patients. Feeling happier, more informed, and better able to sustain a treatment plan is considered essential but challenging to measure quantitatively.

Conclusion

The panel discussion delved into critical aspects of enhancing collaboration within the healthcare ecosystem to ensure meaningful patient engagement and improved health outcomes. Several key themes emerged from the discussion:

1. Access to Decision Makers: Access to key decision-makers within the NHS was highlighted as a significant challenge. Streamlining access to these individuals and fostering open communication channels emerged as a crucial factor in facilitating collaboration.
2. Understanding Patient Needs, Preferences and Behaviour: Recognising and understanding patient need and behaviour was identified as a vital aspect of patient engagement. Effective strategies to engage patients and cocreate with patients to encourage positive health behaviours are essential for improving outcomes.
3. Reimagine Healthcare: The panellists emphasised the need to reimagine healthcare delivery and funding models. This includes adopting a more management-enabled, clinically led, community-owned, and pharma-supported approach to healthcare. Breaking away from traditional thinking and perverse incentives is vital for building a sustainable healthcare system.
4. Perfect Coordination for Patients: Ensuring perfect coordination and communication throughout a patient’s healthcare journey is a paramount goal. Patients should be empowered with clear information and actively participate in decision-making processes.
5. Transparency and Trust: Transparency and trust were recurring themes throughout the discussion. Building trust among stakeholders, including life sciences companies, the NHS, and patients, is crucial for successful collaboration.
6. Innovation and Technology: Digital health technologies and innovative solutions play a pivotal role in improving patient engagement. These tools can enhance communication, streamline healthcare processes, and empower patients to manage their health more effectively.

In conclusion, improving patient engagement and healthcare outcomes requires a multifaceted approach that involves all stakeholders working together. Collaboration between life sciences companies, the NHS, and other healthcare entities should be based on shared objectives, transparency, and trust. Reimagining healthcare models and leveraging technology can pave the way for more patient-centred and effective healthcare delivery.