Funded by the Apprenticeship Levy, the NHS group has partnered with Multiverse to provide a digital training academy for staff
The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) have launched a Data Academy for a wide range of staff working across clinical, operational, administrative and data-focused roles. By increasing the operational efficiencies of both patient and non-patient facing staff, the Academy aims to improve patient experience and outcomes, boost employee job satisfaction and enable UHN to get more value from its digital investments.
Funded by the Apprenticeship Levy, the training is being delivered by Multiverse, the upskilling platform for AI and tech adoption. Multiverse has trained more than 20,000 apprentices in AI, data and digital skills since 2016, and works with 100 NHS trusts, empowering their employees to unlock innovation and improve patient care through its dedicated NHS Coaching team.
UHN’s new Data Academy will see staff with roles in theatres, pharmacy, quality and clinical coding enrol across four different programmes. Multiverse’s Level 3 Data & Insights for Business Decisions develops analytical and technical skills to use data to identify areas for improvement and enact change. The Level 4 Data Fellowship will help drive measurable impact by upskilling staff to harness tools like Power BI, while the Level 4 Business Transformation Fellowship will enable staff to develop digital solutions and support strategic change.
Multiverse will also deliver its three-year Level 4-6 programme Advanced Data Fellowship, an applied degree-equivalent course that builds on data capabilities and upskills staff in areas such as data infrastructure and machine learning.
Learners’ projects will contribute to real organisational initiatives such as reducing patient waiting times from referral to treatment, and improving theatre utilisation.
Jayne Chambers, Transformation Programme Manager and data apprentice at UHN, said: “Data skills have been transformational for me. Though I came to this programme later on in my career, I’ve found that the learning I’ve applied to my role has already been impactful in helping me create sense out of disparate data sources and truly drive change.”
William Monaghan, Group Chief Digital Information Officer at UHN said: “This academy has already proven itself to be the gateway to a far more data-enabled organisation. Our view has been those closest to the change are those who will always know best what needs to change. By equipping our colleagues with the skills to better interpret and use data, we’re not only making the care we deliver safer and more efficient but more importantly, ensuring our patients receive the excellent care they deserve.”
Gary Eimerman, Chief Learning Officer at Multiverse said: “Across the healthcare sector, we’re seeing that when staff are empowered to understand and act on data, it leads to smarter decision making, average time savings of 7.4 hours per week and greater opportunities for cost reduction and cost avoidance. It’s incredibly rewarding to support organisations like University Hospitals of Northamptonshire as they drive meaningful change through data that ultimately helps create better patient outcomes for all they serve.”
Multiverse combines work and learning to unlock economic opportunity for everyone. It works with more than 1,500 organisations to close critical skill gaps in the workforce in AI, data and tech, through a new kind of apprenticeship. Multiverse has delivered more than £10M+ in savings for NHS trusts through the application of new digital skills, helping to build an NHS workforce that’s fit for the future.
