SCOTCAP
Project impact
First Innovation Partnership used to drive innovation scale up in NHS Scotland
4500 CCE Tests now completed in Scotland as part of core service offering
Scottish project which created UK collaboration opportunities and responsible for driving forward CCE update in NHS England
SCOTCAP, a DHI-led programme, developed a scalable national model for Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) as a GI diagnostic test in Scotland. It enabled early community screening, reduced hospital referrals, and involved NHS Highland, NHS Grampian, and NHS Western Isles. Endorsed by the 2018/19 Programme for Government.
The Scottish Capsule Programme (SCOTCAP) was a service, technical and business transformation programme for DHI which delivered a scalable national service model; a roadmap outlining future options and a case for investment for the national scale-up of Colon Capsule Endoscopy (CCE) as a GI Diagnostic Test in Scotland.
SCOTCAP was regarded as an integral part of the national redesign of outpatient gastroenterology services as it enables early and effective screening in the community, avoiding unnecessary referrals for hospital outpatient appointments.
SCOTCAP was endorsed by the Programme for Government 2018/19 and was an evaluation project involving three participating Health Boards - NHS Highland, NHS Grampian and NHS Western Isles.
Summary
This service innovation has: Enabled early and effective screening in the community Reduced the total cost of gastrointestinal diagnostics, avoided unnecessary referrals for outpatient appointments Eliminated unnecessary travel for patients Delivered an Innovation Partnership Framework to support innovative procurement for Public Services in Scotland One of the unique business innovation aspects of the project was the creation of Scotland’s first Innovation Partnership procurement contract.
This enabled commissioning bodies to “partner” and work collaboratively with private sector companies to both develop and test a new service within the community. Significantly, these services could be rolled out across Scotland without the need for further procurement.
In addition, this project tested and refined the business model working with the industry partner ‘Corporate Health’, to create a successful managed service and secure further inward investment and economic development in the North of Scotland.
An evaluation was embedded within the CCE service rolled out across the three Health Board Regions and was a multicentre service evaluation of patients (presenting with GI symptoms to their GP and patients waiting for colonoscopy).
The evaluation was to explore the efficiency, acceptability and effectiveness of a new Managed Service Delivery Model when deployed across three Health Board areas across the North of Scotland. This evaluation report was successfully delivered by University of Strathclyde academics with some key recommendations and observations for the next stage.
Impact & value
Successfully fulfilled all SCOTCAP Phase One deliverables including delivery of a Service Evaluation of CCE in Scotland reaching over 450 patients and corresponding Service Evaluation Supported partners by increasing Service Readiness Levels; undertaking a series of one-to-one interviews and insight driven service design workshops with SCOTCAP stakeholders to capture key learning from the Innovation phase to further inform the service and business case. Produced an interactive Service Model Blueprint and Report to support the next phase of implementation, the ‘Adoption Phase’.
This Service Blueprint could be used in the next phase to co-produce a Change Pack and enhance Patient Information, to enable wider, national roll out of the CCE service delivery model.
The SCOTCAP Programme was shortlisted for the Life Sciences Partnership Collaboration Award and won the 2019 Scottish Digital Health and Care Innovation Award, recognising excellence in this domain and partnership working with the service and industry. SCOTCAP was successfully transferred to Centre for Sustainability in 2022 with a view to embedding into Business as usual.
Progress to date
Staff related to the project