New funding project launched to support health and social care initiatives in the West Midlands

doctor with arm around elderly man

BHP member the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN) has announced the launch of a new Human Factors Workforce Fund to support the spread or adoption of a Human Factors innovation or improvement. The fund aims to bring about tangible enhancements to workforce practices or patient experience within the region.

Individuals and teams working across health and social care are invited to apply for funding of up to £10,000 to help overcome barriers in implementing innovations and improvements in their direct field of work. As well as funding, the successful projects will also receive WMAHSN support over a six-month delivery period.

WMAHSN will also support teams to use Human Factors methods, which will help them to make measurable improvements for workforce and patients.

This year, the WMAHSN is keen to support projects that primarily focus on one or more of the five clinical areas, within the Core20PLUS5 document:

      1. Maternity
      2. Severe Mental Illness
      3. Chronic Respiratory Disease
      4. Early Cancer Diagnosis
      5. Hypertension Case-Finding

Any individual or team working in health and social care within the WMAHSN’s geographical area is able to apply. This includes:

      • Birmingham and Solihull
      • Black Country and West Birmingham
      • Coventry and Warwickshire
      • Hereford and Worcestershire
      • Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent
      • Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

The fund is now open and accepting applications until Sunday 3 July 2022. Interviews are due to take place on 15 July 2022.

Examples of projects could include:

      • Improving task design to increase the safety, efficiency, and system performance to release capacity.
      • Design and layout of physical healthcare environments to support staff in the delivery of care.
      • Patient flow redesign giving staff confidence that the patient care journey is safe, and they receive timely and appropriate care.

To submit an application, please visit the application page on the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network’s Meridian Innovation Exchange.

For any questions about the fund, please contact Fran Ives, Human Factors Specialist at the WMAHSN frances.ives@wmahsn.org