Specialty Delivery Groups

The national Centre for Sustainable Delivery was commissioned by the Scottish Government to establish Specialty Delivery Groups in order to support, innovate and develop high quality services across Scotland, reducing unwarranted variation, promoting a 'best in class' services and, where appropriate, a 'once for Scotland' approach.

These groups are multi-disciplinary in nature and a voice for clinicians and operational managers.

They focus on implementation of existing proven programmes such as Actively Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT) and discharge Patient Initiated Review (PIR). High impact changes such as Day Surgery and Enhanced Recovery after Surgery.

They also have a key role in establishing and embedding new approaches and innovations, such as Cytosponge and Colon Capsule Endoscopy. The SDGs provides strategic direction for the work-programme in that Specialty

SDGs have a remit across the following areas:

• Processes: Working collaboratively to redesign and develop specialty service provision across NHS Scotland to implement proven approaches including Active Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT) and Discharge Patient Initiated Review (PIR). Developing and reviewing minimum standards for ACRT and Discharge PIR, progressing implementation plans within the specialty.

• Pathways: Providing Clinical Leadership to shape and guide the development of high quality specialty services in Scotland; ensuring implementation and alignment with relevant national guidelines and standards. Reducing unwarranted variation by standardising service provision and pathways on a best-of-class and once-for-Scotland basis wherever possible. Creating and disseminating resources and educational materials

• Workforce: Identifying and progressing opportunities within the Specialty in relation to workforce initiatives, in collaboration with partners such as NHS Scotland Academy and NES. Highlighting new approaches to staffing (including theatre staffing) and encouraging adoption and scaling as approaches are shown to work

• Innovation: Providing a forum for sharing and learning and to support spread and adoption of proven pathways and approaches (e.g. by linking in to the Accelerated National Innovation Adoption process)

• Measurement: Ensuring that the benefits to be delivered are clearly defined, ensuring that measures are in place that will provide evidence of benefit, and working with Public Health Scotland to advise on future opportunities for the Atlas of Variation.