ENT Clinical Network

Clinical Lead: Mr. John Murphy (RWT), Project Manager: Amrick Singh (BCPC), Operations Lead: Mandeep Channa (RWT)

The ENT clinical network has worked together to move forward a set of clinical improvement priorities, focused on supporting elective recovery in addition to range of other development areas such as: improving performance in key GIRFT metrics, joint workforce development and improving PIFU and Virtual Consultation pathways within the specialty.

The following are the focus of our priorities and the progress made to date:

  1. Reconfiguration of ENT Oncology Services
  2. A GIRFT recognised area for development was in Tonsillectomy procedures
  3. Regional Direct Referral Balance Service
  4. Reduction in the Utilisation of MRI Internal Auditory Meatus for SNHL
  5. ENT Consultant Workforce Review

Looking Ahead

The focus of the year ahead is to continue the implementation and development of the clinical improvement projects, to complete projects and integrate them as business as usual within Trusts. In particular:

  • The ENT Oncology project will be implemented after all of the prerequisite resourcing and capacity producing work has been completed. The number of paediatric tonsillectomy readmissions should significantly reduce over the period of the year, due to the new pathways implemented.
  • The new referral pathway for Sensorineural Hearing Loss will be implemented and should result in a reduction of MRI IAM scans across the ICS and an increase in capacity within diagnostic departments, along with cost savings.
  • The Vertigo Multidisciplinary team project has recently secured funding from RWT for a prescribing vestibular physiotherapist to lead the team. Recruitment for the role is currently being planned for progression and when completed enable the commencement of the project.
  • The speciality will also carry out joint-Trust recruitment to configure the consultant workforce across the ICS, to best accommodate the need of patients across the Black Country.
  • The network will continue to work and improve on other areas of development including GIRFT and increasing the uptake of PIFU and Virtual Consultations.

More Information

You can read more about the ENT Clinical Network in the BCPC Annual Report 2022-23.