AphA and Covid19

Posted : April 16, 2020 - /

Members email dated 29 April 2020

Dear AphA Member

I hope this email finds you and your loved one safe and well.

The current crisis continues to challenge us all and it is so inspiring to see the imaginative and innovative ways that people are coping with the extended period of lockdown.  I hope you are all feeling the love for the NHS that is so palpable at the moment.  From conversations I have had with people, there is a wider understanding in the general public, of what it takes to run such an enormous health and care system, and the hidden heroes and heroines who support the front-line staff.

A few things I wanted to bring to your attention this week.  There is currently a great deal of uncertainty regarding the ongoing need for social distancing and what measures will be required to contain the spread of the virus in the longer term.  The AphA Board of Directors have taken the decision to reschedule the annual conference planned for September 2020.  This event will now take place on 27 – 28 May 2021, at Villa Park, Birmingham.

We also recognise the value that our membership gains from attending the annual conference therefore we are currently working with potential sponsors and speakers to bring you a series of on-line events.  Discussions are at an early stage but I hope to be able to announce an exciting programme of drop-in webinars soon.

We are also working hard to increase our on-line offering to our members so that you can have access to learn from experts in the field as conveniently as possible.  With this in mind please hold the date of 17 June 2020 in your diaries.  Places will be limited to 100, and you will be able to book your place on Eventbrite.  Further details to follow in the next few days.

No doubt the requests for your analytical expertise and knowledge will continue as we navigate the difficult transition from lock down to new normal, and I am sure that you will meet those challenges as professionally as you always do.

Stay safe, stay well, and look after yourselves and your loved ones.

Paul Stroner
AphA CIC, Chief Executive Officer

 


Members email dated 16 April 2020
Dear Colleague

I hope this email finds you well and safe during these unusual and difficult times.  I am sure we have all seen or heard of many examples of the best of humanity which are extremely humbling and inspirational. I am blown away by some the things I have read or heard about.

It is incredible to be discussing the whys and wherefores of NHS data flows with friends and family who were previously completely ignorant of such matters a few short weeks ago.  Their reaction to the difficulties and the challenges that you are all familiar with is one of incredulity and amazement.  Let’s hope that once we are over this crisis that serious discussion and debate is given to not only the collection of data but also its availability to the widest array of talent to provide solutions to the plethora of questions such a pandemic generates.

AphA are also contributing to a UK-wide initiative with the Operational Research community to look at the medium term and long term impacts of Covid-19.  Work is at an early stage but if you would like any further details please contact Paul Stroner (paul.stroner@aphanalysts.org)

We have continued to work in close collaboration with The Health Foundation throughout and they are pulling together some practical resources for Covid-19 as detailed below.  I think this is worth adding to your list of go to places .

Practical resources for Covid-19.

The Health Foundation is working to support the analytical community during the response to COVID-19. To help navigate the rapidly evolving landscape, we have begun collecting together practical resources that health and care analysts across the UK may find useful to support their work. The repository is available on GitHub (https://github.com/HFAnalyticsLab/COVID19_Resources).

The list will be frequently updated and any suggestions for practical analytical resources would be invaluable – you can give feedback either via GitHub or email covid.analytics@health.org.uk

The Health Service Journal are also providing free access to their materials relating to Covid-19.  You can get more info from https://www.hsj.co.uk/

Below are some articles which you might find beneficial in maintaining your own health and wellbeing during this time.

Stay well and stay safe
Paul Stroner
AphA CIC, Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Members email dated 31 March 2020

I hope this email finds you safe and well during the ongoing situation.  As we indicated in our previous email we will endeavour to share and disseminate appropriate information, tools, and analytical approaches with you.  To this end we have been in discussion with colleagues at The Health Foundation (THF) to explore how best to do this.

There have been discussions with 33N, who are developing a tool for ITU teams to report and model their demand and capacity both in terms of resources (ventilators, PPE) and workforce. If you have a Future NHS login, you can find it here. There is ongoing work with Imperial on the underlying assumptions (eg LoS and increase in presentation rate) and they aim to get the model up and running later this week.

We will work in collaboration with THF to disseminate this to you as and when it is available.  We will do this via an email to all members as well as posting materials on the website as appropriate.

It is our intention to touch base with you on a fortnightly basis and, if required, we will share further information where relevant.  Should you have anything which you think would benefit from being shared with the wider membership please contact val.perigo@aphanalysts.org or paul.stroner@aphanalysts.org.

We would encourage you to continue collaborating at a local and regional level on both a personal and professional basis.  It is vitally important that you are mindful of your own physical and mental wellbeing at this time, so please make sure you find time to look after yourselves.

Paul Stroner
AphA CIC, Chief Executive Officer

 


Members email dated 17 March 2020.

During this unprecedented period there will undoubtedly be an increase in demands from central bodies for information, as well as additional analytical burdens placed on you at a local and/or regional level.

In recognition of this the AphA Board of Directors have taken the decision to suspend all AphA related activities, be they virtual or physical for the foreseeable future.  We have taken this decision to ensure that AphA members are not potentially diverted from the priorities of the day job, and the priority has to be supporting the safety and welfare of patients and the wider population. We will keep this under review in what is clearly a rapidly changing situation.

I would urge you to make maximum use of the informal networks that you will have developed from being an AphA member, and reach out to colleagues during this difficult time.  If you think there is anything that should be shared with the wider membership please do not hesitate to contact Val Perigo (val.perigo@aphanalysts.org) or Paul Stroner (paul.stroner@aphanalysts.org) and we will endeavour to ensure that we post on the website or via an email to members.

In the meantime I would like to commend you for the work that you do, as always I know that the analytical community will step up to the plate and deliver what is need.  You will all play a key role in helping the NHS through this.  I also urge you to stay safe and look after yourselves and your loved ones as we go forward.

Paul Stroner
AphA CIC, Chief Executive Officer

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