MOIC | MOIC

MOIC and Ulster University to play leading role in new research into smart and healthy ageing

by MOIC | May 7, 2020 | News Release, Press

The Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre (MOIC) hosted within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and Ulster University have recently joined a major innovative inter-disciplinary health research project aimed at helping Europe’s ageing population to live actively and independently at home in their communities with the support of assisted living technology.

Funded by the European Commission under Horizon 2020, the research project has a value of €21 million and consists of a consortium of 36 partners across 14 European countries, and will run for four years. Led by the ALL (Assisting Living & Learning) Institute at Maynooth University, it is the largest European Commission funded health research grant to ever be led by an Irish university. The SHAPES acronym stands for Smart and Healthy Ageing through People Engaging in supportive Systems.

Citizens in a rapidly ageing European population are at greater risk of cognitive impairment, frailty and multiple chronic health conditions with considerable negative consequences for their independence, quality of life and for the sustainability of health and care systems. To help address this the SHAPES research aims to foster the large-scale deployment of integrated digital solutions which will bring greater independence and improved quality of life to citizens while demonstrating significant efficiency gains in health and care delivery across Europe.

Professor Mike Scott, MOIC commented:

“Very excited to be collaborating with a wide range of partners across 14 European countries on this project to improve Smart and Healthy Ageing. This is the first time MOIC have been involved in such a large scale project to improve healthcare and promote independence in an ageing community.”

The team from MOIC also includes Dr Glenda Fleming and Dr Claire Scullin

Professor Dewar Finlay, Engineering Research Director at Ulster University said:

“Ulster University is a recognised leader in data analytics and healthcare technology research. Caring for an ageing population is one of the biggest challenges we face as a society. Smart technologies are helping to move care out of hospital and into the home, reducing pressure on the healthcare system.

“We are delighted to partner with organisations across Europe on this vital research project to improve the lives of older people here in Northern Ireland and the rest of Europe. Our role in the SHAPES project spans a number of aspects of healthcare technology development including UX engineering, data analytics, ecosystem business models, impact assessment and activities relating to the development of health technology standards and interoperability.”

The multidisciplinary team from Ulster is made up Professors Dewar Finlay and Jim Mclaughlin from the School of Engineering, Dr Shirley Davey (Ulster Business School) and Dr Raymond Bond and Dr Mark Donnelly from the School of Computing.

Community Pharmacy’s role in the Integrated Care Prototype

by MOIC | Mar 9, 2020 | Events

The Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) Pharmacists in the Northern area, in partnership with the Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre, hosted an evening for pharmacists to learn about the new Integrated Care Prototype.

The Northern Area were tasked by the Transformation Implementation Group to test a new way of working by:

Creating a prototype for an Integrated Care system based on partnership at all levels.
Enabling that system to focus on population health improvement.
Ensuring shared accountability for delivery and outcomes that is data driven and supported.
Devising a new way of planning and commissioning that is participative.

The evening was an opportunity to learn about the progress made so far from the Director of Strategic Development, Mrs Briege Donaghy, and to start the conversation of how community pharmacy might adapt to work in partnership with the new provider structures that are developing from the Prototype.

HFMA Conference

by MOIC | Feb 26, 2020 | Events

MOIC alongside HFMA Northern Ireland jointly hosted the annual Healthcare Financial Management Association annual Conference.
The event focused on clinical engagement and how clinicians and finance can work together to put value based healthcare firmly at the centre of HSC in Northern Ireland.
Professor Mike Scott Director MOIC gave a talk on optimizing medicines to provide value within health.

Medicines Safety Conference

by MOIC | Nov 28, 2019 | Events

MOIC alongside Department of Health and Pharmacy Management jointly organised Northern Ireland’s first dedicated Medicines Safety Conference in Belfast on Wednesday 28th November.

The event brought together healthcare staff to share and learn from examples of best practice in medication safety and showed how Northern Ireland is leading the way in medication safety. In addition, the conference considered the WHO Challenge, Medication Without Harm which aims to reduce medicine related harm by 50% over a 5 year period
The conference was chaired by Cathy Harrison Acting Chief Pharmaceutical Officer at the Department of Health, who said

“The occasion of Northern Ireland’s first ever dedicated Medicines Safety Conference gave us the opportunity to recognise examples of new and innovative practice from all sectors aimed at ensuring the safe use of medicines in Northern Ireland. By bringing healthcare staff together to share and learn from examples of best practice, we aim to use that energy and inspiration to improve the quality of care and make our system even safer for the benefit of our population.

The Conference gave us the opportunity to share our journey to date in developing Northern Ireland’s response to the WHO Third Global Patient Safety Challenge “Medication without Harm”, and to build support for our ambitious vision to build on our solid foundations and past successes using collective leadership to deliver system wide improvements.”

MOIC 4 years on

by MOIC | Oct 25, 2019 | Events

Department of Health Permanent Secretary, Richard Pengelly recently visited the Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre (MOIC) in Antrim Area Hospital. The Centre was established four years ago and the event provided an update on the projects and achievements since it was established.

The Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre (MOIC) is a regional centre in Northern Ireland dedicated to delivering better medicines use for the people of Northern Ireland. We are uniquely positioned to work alongside the health sector and the private sector to deliver better patient outcomes around medicines optimisation.

The MOIC team focuses on delivering research, innovation and business acumen to achieve medicines optimisation and to assist in the delivery of the Medicines Optimisation Quality Framework set out by the Department of Health. With approximately 41.5 million prescriptions issued in primary care every year and 1 in 5 adults dispensed 5 or more medicines, it is vital that we are getting the best usage out of our medicines.

MOIC showcased collaborative work across Health and Social Care, the voluntary sector and the private sector, all of which are delivering significant results in improving patient care through medicines optimisation such as the Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership.