Dr Richard Wood
Richard Wood is Head of Modelling and Analytics, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group; and Visiting Senior Research Fellow, University of Bath School of Management.
Richard has a background in Operational Research and Applied Mathematics. Through his career, he has applied various quantitative techniques to a number of fields, from calculating capital buffers for financial institutions to modelling the infection dynamics of dangerous pathogens. His main interests, however, are in the use of data and analytics to support improved decision making in healthcare. He has a Ph.D. in hospital flow modelling and joined the NHS in 2016, where he set up the dedicated Modelling and Analytics function in the Bristol system. With a passion for innovative and robust scientific methods, he enjoys working at the interface of academic theory and practical application.
Talk - Innovative uses of data to support local health services through Covid-19
Covid-19 has caused unprecedented pressure on heath services of even the most developed nations, and the Bristol NHS system has been no exception. This talk will review the various ways in which we have used data, modelling and analytics through the pandemic, in confronting the many evolving challenges; from novel use of queuing models to address early concerns over intensive care capacity, to projecting Covid-19 hospital admissions and supporting design of the Ashton Gate mass vaccination centre. All these efforts, and many more, have relied upon strong collaboration between health commissioners, health providers, public health and academics, and this talk will highlight the importance of a collaborative approach in turning health data into actionable insight.
