Our Collaboration with Leeds Health and Care Partnership: A Finalist at the Prestigious HSJ Partnership Awards

Our collaboration with Leeds Health and Care Partnership was recognised as a finalist at the prestigious HSJ Partnership Awards. Our project, which focused on creating efficiencies in the prescribing of Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) across Leeds, was acknowledged in the category of Best Contribution to Improving the Efficiency of NHS Services.

Oral Nutritional Supplements (ONS) are a vital treatment option for adults who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition is a significant public health issue, costing around £23.5 billion per year in the UK, which is approximately 15%  of the Health and Social Care budget.

Across the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), the annual ONS spend increased by 12% to £15.9 million, which is 9.6% higher than the national growth. In 2021/22, Leeds ICB spent £3.17 million on ONS and is projected to increase spend by 15% (£3.7 million) by the end of the financial year 2022/23.

Our project involved 65 practices across the ICB, where 2,540 patients were identified and reviewed in line with NICE and local guidelines. The results were impressive:

759 patients had their ONS changed, in line with patient need, preference, and the locality’s first line choice of product.

78 ONS prescriptions were stopped.

74 patients had their ONS treatment stopped.

52 patients had a dose reduction.

65 patients had a dose increase.

This review generated an estimated £397,887 in annual cost savings and increased practice adherence to preferred ONS (in line with ICB formulary) from 18.8% to 50.13%.