PrescQIPP

Utilising PowerBI prescribing dashboards to support SNEE ICB Medicines Optimisation

Norfolk and Suffolk ICB

Project summary

Historically SNEE ICB has used Excel versions of data created by our Business Intelligence (BI) team to share with practices to drive forward medicines optimisation (MO) priorities. It was identified there was a lack of consistent reporting across the ICB, the reports were labour intensive to update and only a limited number of reports and data were available. The reports were emailed out monthly to practices with no confirmation if they were used.

The BI team suggested that moving the reports to the PowerBI platform (a data visualisation tool) to enable quicker updating, provide a greater number of users access to the data, eliminate the need to email data and ensure users are viewing up-to-date data.

A project team was set up of MO pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and BI team analysts. Through close working we designed new functionality and layout for the dashboards and identified the accurate data sources to populate the dashboards.

The initial dashboards were:

  • Practice prescribing dashboard - enables practices to compare and contrast their prescribing habits within QIPP areas with other practices within the ICB area. It is also used to identify areas to focus on for improvements.

  • QIPP dashboard - for internal ICB use to enable the team to monitor and track the progress of the different QIPP areas.

  • Simple switches dashboard - enables MO Pharmacy technicians to quickly review areas of potential savings within in their practices and identify focus areas at practice, alliance or ICB level.

During the launch we provided training for users. We have received positive feedback from users of the reports and constructive comments which have enabled us to further improve the reports and created a new access form to allow for swifter authorisation of new users

Since the initial project we have now developed a suite of 25 prescribing reports. Our most recent development was the Prescribing Incentive dashboard which allows practices, for the first time, to see their current attainments against the incentive schemes and compares their attainment with other practices. This has been very successful with practices proactively reviewing the report leading to greater engagement with the schemes. Prior to the ICB restructure this report was the 3rd highest accessed report in the organisation (out of 646 reports). It had 1900 in the first year of launch and over 182 users have direct access.

With the formation of a new ICB merging Suffolk with Norfolk and Waveney the transfer and expansion of the PowerBI prescribing reporting has been highlighted as a priority area. Plans include expanding the current reports to include data for all practices within the new organisations footprint and providing access to practice staff within these locations. The team are also looking into developing dashboards to support with horizon scanning and benchmarking.