Bridging the gap between NHS and industry for the benefit of heart patients

As demand for NHS services continues to grow and resources become increasingly stretched, collaboration with industry provides a valuable opportunity to address healthcare challenges.

Over the past seven years, Health Innovation North East North Cumbria (HI NENC) has worked with Amgen and Sanofi through the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Prevention Programme. The collaborative programme has helped to streamline pathways, increase early diagnoses, and improve patient outcomes.

Operating across the North East and North Cumbria as part of a national network of 15 Health Innovation Networks, HI NENC has successfully united the pharmaceutical industry and the NHS in a unique, non-promotional industry partnership— arguably one of the first of its kind within the NHS.

As this partnership working came to an end in April, Alison Crocker, Regional Engagement and Access Manager for Sanofi, and Mark Harris, Healthcare Solutions Manager for Amgen, reflect on the programme’s impact and the benefits of industry collaboration to drive innovation into the NHS.

Increasing the detection of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia

In 2018, HI NENC, Amgen and Sanofi, began a collaborative effort to increase the diagnoses of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH). FH is a genetic condition affecting 1 in approximately 250 people that can lead to extremely high cholesterol levels. If left untreated, FH can lead to strokes and heart attacks.

Alison and Mark joined the team in secondee roles, each dedicating one full day per week to the project.

Alison shared: “At the time, FH was significantly underdiagnosed, undetected and there was a lack of awareness across primary care, with a huge variation of management across the North East and North Cumbria.

“Initially we were working with nine GP practices across the region, to increase the use of the genetic screening programme. We had some really good results with high FH identification in small patient numbers.”

By increasing the detection of high risk patients, the project aimed to reduce premature deaths linked to FH. Detection rates in the region rose from approximately 2% in 2018 to 14.6% in 2025, making significant progress towards the NHS Long Term Plan goal of 25% identification by 2025.

Mark shared: “By industry supporting this collaborative working project, we’ve been able to address some of the biggest challenges that FH patients face.”

From regional success to national impact

This project paved the way for the National CVD Prevention Programme, and led to HI NENC’s successful bid to lead the programme. As a result, a nationwide Lipid Optimisation and Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Programme was launched and delivered through the 15 Health Innovation Networks.

The improvements in lipid management across England are estimated to have prevented over 9,000 heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, the percentage of people with known CVD treated to NICE-recommended thresholds increased from 23.7% to 27.8%.

Mark and Alison played a pivotal role, working closely with NHS and regional CVD stakeholders to develop strategies and operational initiatives aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease on a national scale.

Mark and Alison shared: “A lot of the work we do focuses on service redesign. If the service isn’t fit for purpose, patients won’t always achieve the right outcomes.

“A key part of this has been co-designing and developing educational materials to support the spread and adoption of best practices across the system.

“We’ve also focused on creating resources to drive service transformation and lipid optimisation, while actively supporting workforce development within the lipid pathway.

“Addressing health inequalities has been at the heart of our efforts, making sure the system works towards more equitable healthcare outcomes for all.”

The power of partnership

Pharmaceutical companies bring a wealth of resources and expertise to partnership working with the NHS and Health Innovation Networks.

When asked what value they think the industry can bring, Alison and Mark shared: “The value of skills and capabilities that industry colleagues bring is not funding or sponsorship; it’s the additional dedicated time and resource that the NHS just does not currently have.

“In industry, we’re trained to project manage, we’re process orientated with strategic oversight.

“Having this dedicated additional resource over and above the HI NENC project team contributed to the successful delivery of the programme and has hugely benefitted patients in the region.”

Speaking on the partnership, Professor Julia Newton, Medical Director for HI NENC, said: “The relationship with pharma has been really positive.

“We have gained expertise and capacity with some really important programmes which have allowed us to do more, faster, for the people in the North East and North Cumbria, and in particular, in communities who may not have previously been able to access our conventional clinical pathways.”

Overcoming stigma for the benefit of patients

Despite these benefits, some skepticism remains about the role of pharmaceutical companies in projects like this.

By ensuring that the collaboration remained patient-centered and aligned with NHS needs, HI NENC was able to help bridge the gap between pharma and NHS and overcome some of these perceptions.

Professor Newton commented: “This programme of work is the perfect example of the role Health Innovation Networks can play in bridging the gap between NHS and industry.

“Ultimately, it is about how we can improve patient care in the NHS. That is the priority for the NHS, Health Innovation Networks, and pharma.

“Providing everyone is focused on this important driver, good things happen.”

Greater transparency and robust governance structures are also helping to build trust and overcome negative perceptions. Alison noted: “Concerns stem from historical practices that existed in pharma a long time ago, but the industry has moved on a great deal since then, and pharmaceutical companies are very strictly governed.”

When asked how she and Mark have overcome any negative perceptions, Alison said: “We deal with any questions we receive about the industry, head on. We are completely transparent and demonstrate that companies can work together; a lot of it is down to people and building trust.

“At the end of the day, pharma, NHS, and HI NENC, ultimately have the same goal; it’s about the benefit to patients.”

Mark added: “It’s not our job to prescribe drugs; that job will always lie with a clinician. Our job is to support the system. This is what we do in our day jobs, in an industry that’s highly regulated.

“It’s always patient-focused. Everything we do is for patients to better access pathways of care and get the right treatments. We’re trying to improve services for patients.”

The future of collaborative working with pharma

The NHS faces mounting pressures from an ageing population, rising chronic disease rates, and workforce shortages.

Using the expertise and resources of pharmaceutical companies, while maintaining a focus on patient welfare and ethical standards, can address some of these challenges.

As HI NENC looks to the future of collaborative working with pharmaceutical companies, Professor Newton concluded: “We are really keen to continue developing positive relationships that lead to tangible improvements in patient outcomes.

“This work has already provided the blueprint for another secondee role,  joining our Chronic Kidney Disease Programme – delivering positive outcomes for both patients and staff.

“The result of these partnerships can and has saved lives.”