In conversation with… Nuala Foley, Industry Engagement Manager at KSS AHSN
In this interview we speak to Nuala Foley, Industry Engagement Manager at KSS AHSN about the prominent role played by industry within healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as why we have to be careful when deploying digital in healthcare so that we don't create access barriers.
Nuala was interviewed in October 2021 - this piece was originally published as subscriber-exclusive content.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what your role entails
“I’ve been with KSS AHSN for two and a half years. Before that I had a primarily commercial background, supporting early stage companies and SMEs.
”When my partner's work moved to SE England, I took the job with KSS AHSN very much on the basis of my business background and understanding of companies. I really quickly got immersed in the healthtech and life sciences sectors. My role is to support the same kind of companies that I supported in previous jobs but this time to think very specifically within health.
“I see my goal as bridging that communication gap between small companies and the health service.”
”My experiences of looking at a company and what support they needed, and helping them to grow and develop, really aides me in this role, where I lead the industry engagement for KSS AHSN. I see my goal as bridging that communication gap between small companies and the health service. I speak their language and understand their frustrations so can provide support to navigate blockages and challenges when trying to sell to an organisation like the NHS. I love it.”
How has the role of KSS changed since the COVID-19 pandemic started?
“The ethos and the value of what we do hasn't changed - we were always there to help drive innovation. The part that has changed the most is the reaction of the health service to what we're trying to do, and I mean that in a positive way. Essentially, I think things are moving at pace more.
"Health and social care partners are understanding that we can help and support them more than they ever did before. We’re now getting going with a lot of the problems that the system was sitting on. They now understand that we have lots of really good technology on our books and if they come and talk to us, we may be able to help them. Before COVID, it always felt slightly like it went the other way.
"KSS AHSN took a decision when the pandemic initially hit to support our system partners in whatever they needed. We have had a lot of re-deployments, and at the start of last year we had people like me - from a commercial background - helping with things like CCGs and private care resilience - which might seem crazy for someone like me! We gave a lot of support and I think the results have been very positive.”
What do you think is the biggest barrier to implementing new technologies in the NHS?
“Definitely the complexity of the NHS. The sheer size of it, the interoperability challenges and the way in which it is linked in parts but not in others.
"To me, one of the biggest challenges is the correct matching of a product to a need or problem to be solved. For something to be purchased, adopted or procured by the NHS, innovators need to be able to show where the value of implementing that technology will come from. Very often in the NHS Long Term Plan, or in a local policy document, things are mentioned and companies develop products off the back of that literature alone. But what hasn’t happened is a proper discussion between the industry developer and the people who the new product will affect or benefit. Understanding the real nub of a problem and how a new product would work in reality is key to being able to produce something of value which will also be suitable for use on a wider scale.
“Understanding the real nub of a problem and how a new product would work in reality is key to being able to produce something of value which will also be suitable for use on a wider scale.”
"I think the issue is also linked to communication between the NHS and industry. The more we can learn from the NHS in terms of what their problems are, the more likely it is we can match the industry and solve the problem. This can only happen by really talking to people: clinicians, system managers and of course our patients and citizens. Policy resources are useful as a guide for innovators before they then go get the real world knowledge which at the end of the day is far more important."
How do KSS’ current projects support digital healthcare across the NHS?
“Essentially, we see ourselves as a guide or delivery arm to the NHS in terms of innovation. AHSNs are set up to address national and local priorities. We do a great deal from the industry perspective, we welcome any company, but are primarily focused on supporting something that's going to help solve problems that are priorities for our local system stakeholders and citizens.
"To give you a flavour of some of those at the moment: AI diagnostic cancer products, patient management, remote management... We're supporting a lot of brilliant products some of which are coming out of the system directly and have been developed by clinicians who are either not business minded or don't really want to be business minded but are motivated because of what they could achieve for their patients. This is where my background can help. I have always been a great believer in bringing skills sets together and with my business background and our clinical entrepreneurs’ direct knowledge, we can help to move innovation along at pace.
"We're also working on a Digital Fellows project to help build digital skills of staff working within a trust - mainly supporting clinical staff. At times, they need to be more than their clinical role, and need to have digital skills.”
If the NHS could do one thing tomorrow to make digital a reality, what do you think it should be?
“Firstly, I think we need to realise that it's not a one fits all approach. The word “digital” is used all the time, but we are all individuals, and we all come with different skills, different abilities, different cultures, different backgrounds.
"If you think back to the start of the pandemic when some people just didn't want to go to their GP because they didn't want to take up GP time, we need to make sure that digital does not drive those people further away. How do we make sure that they are still engaged with the system?
“Everything that we do in digital must remember these groups of people and not just build products that work for more privileged groups.”
"We need to be careful to not to make assumptions. Many elderly patients, including my 80-year-old father, are probably better at engaging with digital than some 20-year-olds and like to engage in this way. So we need to be very careful that we don't make assumptions and that we recognise we are fundamentally individuals and the health service wants to help all of those people. It is about options that work for all – the system and the citizen.
"We must also remember as a society that often the people who don't talk to us are the people who need to talk to the most. For example - how does digital work for the homeless? Refugees? What happens if you don't have access to digital apps? Do you get left behind? Everything that we do in digital must remember these groups of people and not just build products that work for more privileged groups. The most recent issue of our ‘Innovate’ publication looks at exactly these issues and is well worth a read if you haven’t seen it already.
"This is why I love working for KSS AHSN so much – I get to guide companies on things that matter to me as a person whilst doing my job!”
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