The Improvement Science Research Group (ISRG) brings together expertise from a variety of areas including healthcare policy, leadership, change management, operations management, systems thinking and (supply) networks.

The ISRG was launched last month at the Liberty Stadium, with an audience that included representatives from Hywel Dda University Health Board, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) Health Board, Academi Wales, Public Health Wales, universities from across the UK, and the Health Foundation.

The event, which was jointly hosted with the Health Foundation, sought to establish:

• How improvement science (IS) can support health and care services in South West Wales
• What the Improvement Science Research Group has to offer
• What the practical application of IS looks like
• How collaboration can ensure maximum value for services and academic development in South West Wales?

Professor Ceri Phillips, Head of the College of Human and Health Sciences, opened the event before attendees heard from speakers including; Professor Andrew Davies, Chair of ABM University Health Board; Sophie Bulmer, Programme Manager at the Health Foundation; Professor Zoe Radnor, Chair of Service Operations Management at the School of Business and Economics at Loughborough University and Bernardine Rees, OBE, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Also speaking were Dr Sharon Williams, who has recently joined Swansea University as a Health Foundation Improvement Science Fellow, together with Dr Alan Willson.

Dr Williams and Dr Willson will be the main drivers for the further development of Improvement Science at the College of Human and Health Sciences.

Dr Williams said: “With the NHS facing greater challenges than ever to meet service needs from shrinking resources, traditional solutions often fail. We need to develop our confidence and habits in using new approaches.

“We want to co-design a partnership which will strengthen individuals, teams and organisations to use improvement science to continuously improve services for the people of South West Wales.”

To find out more about the Improvement Science Research Group please contact Sharon Williams, email: sharon.j.williams@swansea.ac.uk, or Alan Willson, email: a.r.willson@swansea.ac.uk.