By launching a new package of training materials, a new data system and a tool to highlight cost effectiveness, the organisation improves its processes and aims for even better results
When the COVID pandemic took a grip on the UK, in March 2020, the IRISi team rapidly adapted its training materials to enable safe, virtual delivery of the IRIS programme. But that was just the beginning of a more extensive project that culminated in a comprehensive training review of all the IRIS materials for general practice teams. This is now finished and ready to be rolled out to the IRIS network. Alongside this, the organisation has developed a new data system and a Cost Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) tool, both of which will refine data reporting and analysis, and are also ready to be launched.
Together, these achievements reinforce the commitment of IRISi to continually improve its processes and aim for even better results in recognising and responding to Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) across the health system, with specialist DVA partner organisations and, most importantly, for survivors, our IRIS service users.
The new training materials will be officially launched in the week of 17th May 2021, during an intensive schedule of online sessions that will continue into June. The package includes new sets of slides and manuals for all training sessions – Clinical 01, Clinical 02, Reception and Administration, and Refresher Training – all of them rigorously researched and reviewed to present the most up to date health data, legislation and general information regarding DVA.
Annie Howell, Programme Director at IRISi, who led on this work, explains its importance: “When we moved our training sessions from face to face to online, it became clear that we needed to transform them into more engaging and impactful webinars. Especially after a few months of lockdown, when most people were already exhausted from having long online meetings, we knew that we had to be even more succinct with our information and conscious about the time required to complete our sessions”.
As a result, the new training material has not only improved visually but also has become more concise and objective, providing the trainers with all the information they need to enable general practice teams to better identify and respond to DVA. “The pandemic put enormous pressure on health care professionals, so we also knew that we had to create something powerful enough to draw their attention to DVA, an invisible disease that has worsened during 2020”, continues Annie.
Following the launch of the new training materials, IRISi will also deliver its first focused workshop sessions, “Looking Through a Lens”, to better address specific issues of concern and interest, and diversity. “One workshop will look at Black women and DVA, and other, run by a colleague from Respect, will look at perpetrators. These will be the first in our developing series of focused workshops.”, finishes the Programme Director.
New data system and CEA tool: benefits for everyone
Although they are all being launched at the same time, the demand for a new data system and for a CEA tool goes back to before the pandemic. “The IRIS programme has always relied on robust evidence and data, so it’s natural that we are always looking for more effective ways of collecting, reporting and analysing our numbers and feedback”, explains Medina Johnson, CEO at IRISi. That search led to the development of both the data system, which will directly benefit the work of Advocate Educators and Clinical Leads, and the CEA tool, which was specially designed for the IRIS Service Managers, Chief Executives, and commissioners.
The new data system has already been successfully tested by colleagues in the IRIS network and now it will be officially presented during the training rollout. “We are happy to announce that after several years in the planning and making and many months of testing, we are launching our new data system to replace the old system of spreadsheets. We are putting together a “how to guide” to explain how the system works and we are also offering 2 sessions on the Data System as part of the training review”, says Dr. Estela Barbosa, IRISi Data Scientist.
The new platform is very intuitive and user friendly, which should facilitate the work of entering the data that AEs collect. The tool has also a reporting tab, which will enable them to meet their funders requests for data, results and feedback.
According to Dr. Barbosa, the CEA tool has a similar purpose, but it was designed to fit the decision-maker’s needs. “It is increasingly important that local IRIS sites are able to demonstrate to commissioners, the health benefits of the work they have done in financial terms, so that IRIS continues to be sustained into the future. The IRIS cost-effectiveness analysis tool has been created to help local sites to do this”.
The CEA tool is also very user friendly. After inputting the information required, it automatically calculates the cost effectiveness of a local service, presenting both the results from an NHS and societal perspective. After final testing, the CEA tool will be officially introduced to the IRIS network in June.
“The IRISi team has worked hard to develop and deliver these new resources and we are delighted to invite everyone in our network to join the launch events. If you have not received an email from us, please get in touch: info@irisi.org”’, invites Medina.
