Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Networks

• Provision of teleconferencing facilities for MDT meetings in the fifteen acute hospital locations within the region
• Provision of a scalable, cost efficient and secure solution
• Organisation of open days for end users to support the new technology

Cancer Networks Case Study

“Pinacl Solutions have been key to this success; they have provided us with the best technical expertise.”

Jon Hayes, Deputy Network Director, Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network.

The Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network co-ordinates and develops the provision of cancer services throughout Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. There are 15 acute hospitals included within the boundaries of the network, managed as 12 separate Acute Trusts.

Identified and regulated in the ‘Manual for Cancer Services (2004)’ the manual instructs that all Trusts performing cancer care functions should hold MDT meetings with clinical input from Pathologists and Radiologists to provide holistic medical diagnostic opinion and improved treatment for cancer sufferers. It has become increasingly difficult for the Consultant Pathologists, Radiologists, Oncologists and Nursing teams to meet the demands on their time and attend the various geographically dispersed meetings that have now been formed.

After a rigorous tender process the contract was awarded to Pinacl Solutions. As leaders in innovative communication solutions, Pinacl uses industry leading products and services to design and implement bespoke solutions for voice, video and data networks. Working in partnership with both public and private sector organisations, Pinacl collaborates with a number of strategic partners to deliver ‘a one stop shop’. These relationships provide a number of benefits to our customers including supplier rationalisation, a comprehensive understanding of our customer’s requirements and restrictions and the implementation of solutions that not only provides a ‘best fit’ but also provides cost efficiencies and increased productivity.

The project scope had a number of fundamental requirements; firstly to implement a reliable, intuitive teleconferencing solution which facilitates both multiple and single site meetings between any of the 15 acute hospital locations within the Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire Network links and to any other associated bodies outside of this network. Secondly, to significantly reduce travel expenditure and increase productivity. Thirdly, the solution must also facilitate video collaboration and the display of high resolution content from a number of sources. And finally to maintain and protect patient confidentiality in compliance with BS7799 and the standard guidelines issued by the NHSIA- ‘To provide scalability, cost efficiencies and improve productivity and ultimately improve patient care and the diagnosis process.’

The solution implemented by Pinacl, integrates a number of inter-dependant systems, including the network infrastructure, Polycom end-points, supporting audio visual and control systems and a comprehensive maintenance/help desk support service. Integrated collaboration tools also facilitate the sharing of high resolution histological images (macroscopic and microscopic) and the effective transmission of Pathology slides and digital images between clinical colleagues from both within and outside of the MDT meetings. The technology within the MDT arena is also used to share radiological images either as digital images of radiological film or in more advanced Trusts through the use of PACs systems.

“Videoconferencing has significantly improved care for patients with cancer in Merseyside and Cheshire. Now doctors and other healthcare professions from across the region can work together with ease to ensure that patients benefit from the very best clinical advice. Pinacl Solutions have been key to this success, they have provided us with the best technical expertise. More importantly, Pinacl Solutions have worked closely with our clinical teams to help and encourage them to get the most out of the new technology.” Jon Hayes, Deputy Network Director, Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network.

In support of the Cancer Networks and to encourage adoption of the systems into the hospital’s culture and inherent processes, Pinacl Solutions implemented a number of end user open days, which encouraged end users and administration teams to have a ‘hands-on’ approach to the systems, demonstrating the intuitive and ‘easy-to-use’ interface and providing familiarity with the key features of the systems.

“Pinacl Solutions are pleased to have been selected by the Cancer Network to provide the videoconferencing/telemedicine solution that has been installed to-date. It’s the result of 2-years hard work where we worked in partnership with both clinicians and cancer care staff to demonstrate that the technology would contribute to the overall improved service in cancer care and allow the network to meet their objectives.” David O’Brien, Service Delivery and Operations Director.