Swansea Centre for Improvement and Innovation

The Centre focuses on delivering a collaborative and impactful approach to researching, facilitating and educating a value and evidence-based approach to improving health and social care.

The Centre has extensive collaborative relationships with universities, healthcare and third sector organisations across the UK and internationally, for example:

THIS Institute, Cambridge

MacQuarie University, Melbourne, Australia
Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia

Hywel Dda University Health Board
Swansea Bay University Health Board

Research projects:

Evaluation and facilitation of a Community for Practice for the ARCH/Swansea University School of Management Senior Leaders’ Development Programme (current). We have designed and are applying a formative evaluation framework to support the delivery of a development programme which is being delivered by the Schools of Management and Engineering at Swansea University as part of the STEM Skills Academy Wales. A mixed methods approach involves executive directors of both organisations and a close relationship with the Community of Practice to ensure that participants are supported in applying new skills and in changing work practices to embed new ways of working. Evaluation reports are communicated to an executive level Programme Steering Group to ensure learning is rapidly applied.

The Impact of digital technology on professional identity:

This survey-based research is being conducted with several professional bodies from the health and social care sector in Wales.

The impact of value-based healthcare on professional identity:

This survey-based research is being conducted with Hywel Dda University Health Board and Swansea University.

Nursing and Midwifery Well-being survey – Phase two:

This survey based research is being conducted with Hywel Dda University Health Board. The results of this survey will be compared with phase 1 which was conducted pre-Covid-19. The recommendations of the study will be employed by the Health Board to continue to develop their Health and Wellbeing strategy and services. For further details of this project please contact Prof Sharon Williams.

Recent research projects:

Harm in health and social care in the era of COVID:

This 90-day challenge research project commissioned by Public Health Wales – Improvement Cymru included a rapid review of the relevant literature, interview with key experts in the field, validation workshops. A copy of the report can be found here - Avoidable Harm in Health and Social Care

Please contact Dr Alan Willson for more details of this project.

Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Collaborative:

This evaluation study was commissioned by Public Health Wales – Improvement Cymru and evaluated a Quality Improvement Collaborative trialled by Hywel Dda University Health Board. This multi-method evaluation employed two existing evaluation frameworks. Please contact Prof Sharon Williams for more details about this study.

Evaluation of ABCi Mathematical Modelling Education Programme:

Using a hybrid evaluation framework this study examined the design and implementation of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s mathematical modelling education programme which was designed and developed by members of the improvement team. For further details about the project please contact Prof Sharon Williams.

Evaluating Cancer Services in Wales:

Dr Alan Willson has been working with a company called Frontline to support Macmillan Cancer Wales in designing the evaluation of its new primary care framework. This is innovative work to develop the role of primary care in early referral and people living with and surviving cancer.

Health Foundation Fellowship:

Professor Sharon Williams was awarded a Health Foundation Improvement Science fellowship in 2014. Her research project is entitled ‘Lean, Agile or Leagile?', this is a feasibility study to explore and compare the utility of pathway technologies and consider how these technologies can be employed to improve the design of two care pathways - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Huntington’s Disease.

Williams, S. & Radnor, Z. (2022). Moving from service to sustainable services: a healthcare case study. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 71(4), 1126-1148

Best, S., Robbé, I., & Williams, S. (2022). Mobilizing professional identity in multidisciplinary teams: An appreciative inquiry. International Journal of Healthcare Management, 15(2), 132-141

Leite, H., Williams, S., Radnor, Z., & Bateman, N. (2022). Emergent barriers to the lean healthcare journey: baronies, tribalism and scepticism. Production Planning & Control, 1-18

Best, S., Beech, C., Fletcher-Miles, H., Eynon-Jones, S., Robbé, I., & Williams, S. (2022). Moving out of the silo: trialling a work-based education intervention to mobilise professional identity in integrated teams. British Journal of Healthcare Management, 28(2), 1-10

Williams, S. & Best, S. (2022). What Does a Systems Approach to Quality Improvement Look Like in Practice?. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(2), 747

Best, S. & Williams, S. (2021). What Have We Learnt About the Sourcing of Personal Protective Equipment During Pandemics? Leadership and Management in Healthcare Supply Chain Management: A Scoping Review. Frontiers in Public Health, 9

Williams, S., Radnor, Z., Aitken, J., Esain, A., & Matthias, O. (2021). Transferring, translating and transforming knowledge: the role of brokering in healthcare networks. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 35(7)

Caley, L., Williams, S., Spernaes, I., Thomas, D., Behrens, D., & Willson, A. (2021). Frameworks for evaluating education programmes and work related learning: a scoping review. Journal of Workplace Learning, 33(6), 486-501

Best, S., Beech, C., Robbé, I., Williams, S., & Beech, C. (2021). Interprofessional teamwork: the role of professional identity and signature pedagogy – a mixed methods study. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 35(5), 561-579

Alasmari, S., Williams, S., Rich, N., & Rea, D. (2021). Sustainability of Quality Improvement Initiatives within the Saudi Ministry of Health Hospitals: An Institutional Overview. Saudi Journal of Health Systems Research, 1(1), 3-10

Aitken, J., Esain, A., & Williams, S. (2020). Management of complexity in the care ecosystem. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)

Williams, S., Turner, A., & Beadle, H. (2019). Experience based co-design to improve a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 00-00

Hu, Q., Williams, S., Mason, R., & Found, P. (2019). Knowledge management in consultancy-involved process improvement projects: cases from Chinese SMEs. Production Planning & Control, 30(10-12), 866-880

Gammon, J., Hunt, J., Williams, S., Daniel, S., Rees, S., & Matthewson, S. (2019). Infection prevention control and organisational patient safety culture within the context of isolation: study protocol. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1)

Fletcher-Miles, H., Gammon, J., Williams, S., & Hunt, J. (2019). A scoping review to assess the impact of public education campaigns to affect behavior change pertaining to antimicrobial resistance. American Journal of Infection Control

Williams, S., Turner, A., & Beadle, H. (2019). Experience-based co-design to improve a pulmonary rehabilitation programme. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 32(5), 778-787

Hurt, L., Langley, K., North, K., Southern, A., Copeland, L., Gillard, J., & Williams, S. (2019). Understanding and improving the care pathway for children with autism. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 32(1), 208-223

Walley, P., Found, P., & Williams, S. (2019). Failure demand: a concept evaluation in UK primary care. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 00-00

*Williams, Sharon., Turner, Alice . & Beadle, Helen . (2019). ’Experience based co-design to improve a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance 33

*Walley, Paul., Found, Pauline. & Williams, Sharon. (2019). Failure Demand: An evaluation of concept in UK Primary Care. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance. 32

*Hu, Qing., Williams, Sharon., Mason, Robert. & Found, Pauline. (2019). Knowledge management in consultancy-involved process improvement projects: Cases from Chinese SMEs. Production Planning & Control

*Hurt, Lisa., Langley, Kate., North, Kate., Southern, Alex., Copeland, Lauren., Gillard, Jonathan. & Williams, Sharon. (2019). Understanding and improving the care pathway for children with autism. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 00-00.

*Found, Pauline., Lahy, Andrew., Williams, Sharon., Hu, Qing. & Mason, Robert. (2018). Towards a theory of operational excellence. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence 29(9-10), 1012-1024.

*Best, Stephanie. & Williams, Sharon. (2018). Professional identity in interprofessional teams: findings from a scoping review. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 1-12.

*Best, Stephanie. & Williams, Sharon. (2018). Integrated care: mobilising professional identity. Journal of Health Organization and Management 32(5), 726-740.

*Williams, Sharon. & Radnor, Zoe. (2018). An integrative approach to improving patient care pathways. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 00-00.

*Williams, Sharon J.. & Radnor, Zoe. (2018). Using bandwidths to visualize and improve patient pathways. Public Money & Management 38(1), 21-28.

Williams, SJ (2017) Improving healthcare operations: The application of Lean, Agile and Leagility in care pathway design,  Palgrave Publishers.  

Jensen, B., Found, P., Williams, S. & Walley, P.  (2016). Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of ward rounds. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences 8(3)

Esain, A. Aitken, J. Williams, SJ., and Kumar, M. (2016) Reverse exchange: classifications for public service SCM", Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 21(2), 216 – 227 (3)  http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/SCM-01-2015-0041

Böhme, T., Williams, S., Childerhouse, P., Deakin, E.  & Towill, D.  (2016). Causes, effects and mitigation of unreliable healthcare supplies. Production Planning and Control, 27 (4) pp. 249-262. (3) DOI:10.1080/09537287.2015.1105396

Willson, A. (2015) The problem with eliminating ‘low-value care’, BMJ Quality & Safety – published online 7th July.

Cooper, A. Gray, J. Willson, A. Lines, C. McCannon, J. and McHardy, K. (2015) Exploring the role of communications in quality improvement: A case study of the 1000 Lives Campaign in NHS Wales, Journal of Communication in Healthcare 8(1), pp. 76–84.

Böhme T, Williams, SJ, Childerhouse, P, Deakin, E, and Towill, D (2013) Methodology challenges associated with benchmarking healthcare supply chains, Production Planning & Control, 24(10-11), pp 1002-1014.

Williams, SJ, and Snow, D (2012) Promoting health in SMEs. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 19 (4), pp 729-744.

Esain, A, Williams, SJ, Gakhal, S, Caley, L, and Cooke, M (2012) Healthcare Quality Improvement – Policy Implications and Practicalities. International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, 25 (7), pp.565 - 581 Emerald Publishers Outstanding paper award 2012.