Safer Clinical Systems - Technical Support Team

The application process for a Technical Support Team for Safer Clinical Systems is now closed.

We are seeking to appoint a technical support team to help us design and deliver a new programme called Safer Clinical Systems. The programme will test and demonstrate ways to improve healthcare systems or processes to systematically improve patient safety.

Application deadlines:
Intention to apply:
12 noon Thursday 17 April 2008
Stage one application:
12 noon Thursday 24 April 2008
Stage two application (by invitation):
12 noon Monday 30 June 2008

Safer Clinical Systems will be a three-phased programme over five years.

• Phase-1 will operate from August 2008-May 2010 and will seek to obtain ‘proof of concept’ by designing and testing systems-improvement approaches to improve patient safety. In this phase the technical support team will work closely with expert practitioners from 3–5 UK healthcare organisations to co-design and test a range of clinical systems interventions
• Phase-2 will operate until early 2012 and will demonstrate lessons and successes from phase-1 on a larger scale. In this phase the technical support team will work with expert practitioners from phase-1 to support up to 16 new UK healthcare organisations to implement and monitor the successful interventions tested in phase-1.
• Phase-3 will operate until spring 2013 and will seek to accelerate UK-wide spread of systems approaches to patient safety and build an infrastructure for long-term sustainability. The parameters of this phase will be shaped in the light of learning from phase-2.

Design and delivery 

The Foundation is now seeking to appoint a team of technical experts to design and deliver phase-1 of the programme and help design phase-2. The work of the technical support team will begin in August 2008 and continue until July 2010 in the first instance with a view to involvement in the delivery of phase-2 and design and delivery of phase-3. Involvement in these later phases of the programme will be subject to a second contract process which the Foundation may choose to open to further tender.

The successful team will include individuals with expertise in:

• clinical systems improvement approaches (including, but not limited to, Lean)
• patient safety
• process and outcome measurement
• programme design and delivery
• knowledge capture and transfer
• team development and reflective practice.

The team will be able to draw on both academic and industry experience. The team may include individuals from more than one organisation but the tender must come from one lead organisation.    

Download Invitation to Tender (165 kb)

Download Intention to apply (165 kb)

Download Stage 1 application form (289 kb)