The Social Value Calculator (SVC) is a web-based framework designed to evaluate and communicate societal and environmental impacts beyond financial metrics. This innovative tool measures positive changes in community wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to opportunities.

Developed through a collaboration between Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector, and the University of Hertfordshire, the SVC represents a significant advancement in social value measurement through three key innovations:

• it incorporates sector-specific themes, outcomes, and measures reflecting the unique impact areas of VCFSEs capturing the nuanced effects of health and social care interventions that standard tools typically overlook
• it employs an iterative, stakeholder-driven development process ensuring relevance and usability for practitioners, enhancing cultural competence across diverse community settings
• it integrates Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) to provide context-sensitive impact assessments, accounting for how the same intervention can have different impacts in areas with varying deprivation levels.

The SVC aims to empower the VCFSE sector by providing an easy-to-use tool that showcases their impact on preventative efforts, measures outcomes including quality of life and well-being, adjusts impact based on deprivation scores, and enables staff to monitor and enhance service delivery.

Led by Professor Eren Demir (Hertfordshire Business School) and Hannah Morgan-Gray (VCFSE Alliance)

A web-based decision support tool for healthcare service planning and redesign - this project addresses the growing demand for healthcare services by developing innovative solutions to manage waiting lists, outpatient visits, diagnostic tests, and both elective and non-elective treatments.

At the heart of the project is the development of a user-friendly, web-based Decision Support Tool (DST) powered by simulation technology. This tool aims to provide decision-makers with a comprehensive analytical framework to anticipate the impacts of proposed changes in healthcare delivery. A key feature of the DST is its ability to compare "as is" (the current state) versus "planning" (scenarios of interest, such as changes in the patient pathway), allowing for direct evaluation of potential improvements. The DST will initially focus on the cardiology speciality, with potential for expansion to other areas in the future.

A key objective is optimising resource management, including staffing, theatre availability, bed capacity, and clinic accessibility. Importantly, the tool enables key decision makers to establish comprehensive workforce modelling, helping healthcare leaders better understand staffing needs, allocation, and utilisation to enhance operational efficiency and ensure optimal resource distribution throughout the healthcare system.

The project leverages web-based technology enhanced by Al within a simulation environment to capture patient pathway dynamics, providing accurate representations of care trajectories and resource utilisation. This solution addresses gaps in current NHS tools, contributing significantly to informed decision-making and helping mitigate strain on the healthcare system.

Led by Professor Eren Demir (Hertfordshire Business School) and Richard Hammond (HWEICB)

Immersion for care using extended reality to advance health and social care recruitment and training. Extended Reality (XR) is increasingly being proposed as an effective learning tool in health and social care, particularly for showcasing and communicating a wide range of actions - from specific procedural training to patient support. Artificial Intelligence is also being integrated into some of the applied tasks.

Extended reality (XR) is increasingly being proposed as an effective learning tool in health and social care, particularly for showcasing and communicating a wide range of actions - from specific procedural training to patient support. Artificial intelligence is also being integrated into some of the applied tasks.

As a result, we are witnessing a growing number of projects promoting extended reality and virtual reality and demonstrating their potential. However, the outcomes often remain confined to the research and evaluation phases, with little integration into routine learning or training practices. This is frequently due to the high cost of proprietary software and the fragmented nature of the targeted applications, ranging from surgical training training to elderly care.

This project addresses XR innovation from a task-effective and sustainable perspective, while also introducing a novel use case currently in high demand: professional recruitment.

The project key aims are:

• task-effectiveness: a realistic yet cost-effective solution that enables users to experience, first-hand, actions performed by professionals through the proposed image-based XR approach
• sustainability: a flexible and long-term solution tailored to specific needs, empowering practitioners and  healthcare professionals to create and adapt training sessions sess in-house
• application innovation: a practical and flexible XR tool designed to support healthcare workforce recruitment and development.

Led by Dr. Salvatore Livatino (School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science) and Sasha Irons (HWEICB)

System dynamic modelling for future strategic system needs and demands. Pressures on health and care services are increasing, demand continues to grow, and understanding this and quantifying what needs to be developed and transformed is essential to respond to this challenge and protect health and care services for those who are most vulnerable. The Integrated Care System (ICS) in Hertfordshire and West Essex (HWE) has agreed on a transformation programme based on its strategic priorities and outcomes to improve population health. Understanding forecasted demand across the system over the longer term and the current capacity to meet this will help inform strategic, workforce and financial planning. The HWE population is expected to grow and age, with a significant growth in the over-85s predicted.

Against this backdrop of challenges, the ICS is expected to build an integrated care system intelligence function using data and analytics to enable effective decision-making.

The School of Physics, Engineering, and Computer Science (SPECS) are developing artificial intelligence (Al) tools to support the data management and planning needs of the HWEICS. The Al tools will forecast demand across the system, predicting the demand and capacity needs of the healthcare system. The UH SPECS team will develop Al tools to mod patients' behaviour, grouping and forecasting patients' admission risk or emergency attendance. To create the Al models, state-of-the-art technology for time series analysis and forecasting using machine learning algorithms and data augmentation using synthetic data generative Al models will be used. The Al predictive models will consider patient population groups and their time dynamics, especially the predicted population growth of the over-85s. The developed Al tools will be integrated into a framework environment to facilitate effective decision-making, taking an innovative approach to supporting the ICS in retaining its analytical workforce.

Led by Professor Losif Mporas (School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science) and Charlotte Mullins (HWEICВ)

A student's clinical placement plays a fundamental role in their healthcare education and professional development. With increasing workforce demands within healthcare settings, it is even more important to understand how to best support the needs of students whilst on placement.

The University of Hertfordshire is collaborating with Blute to conduct a research project into clinical placement feedback tools. The project aims to gain a thorough understanding of stakeholder needs for a digital feedback tool for students on placement. The key stakeholders include current healthcare students, staff and placement providers.

The goal:

• gain valuable insights into the needs of students, academic staff, and placement providers
• use these insights to drive the future development of Blute
• encourage a culture where students feel confident sharing feedback and ideas
• help the University of Hertfordshire and its placement partners to attract top talent through an exceptional student experience
• elevate students' clinical training experiences
• strengthen the recruitment pipeline for Hertfordshire's healthcare workforce.

This collaborative research project between the University of Hertfordshire and Blute represents a proactive step toward enhancing the clinical placement experience for healthcare students. By engaging with key stakeholders, we will understand the requirements for a digital feedback tool that is both practical and impactful. Ultimately, the insights gained will support continuous improvement, foster open communication, and enrich the student experience. In doing so, the initiative not only aims to elevate clinical training but also to contribute meaningfully to the growth and sustainability of the future healthcare workforce.

Led by Dr Cathy Hamilton (School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences) and Aira Gucilatar (Blute)

Current internship opportunities for undergraduate students typically have a rigid structure with set start and end dates built around a full-time working pattern. This is a barrier to access for students with caring responsibilities, part-time jobs or mental health conditions, which in turn can lead to poorer graduate outcomes.

This project will pilot a new flexible internship model that allows students to spread 150 hours of paid work across a period of 4 to 12 weeks to fit around other commitments.

Working with local public sector employers from across the Herts and West Essex Integrated Care System (HWEICS), students will have the opportunity to work in a range of corporate, managerial and non-clinical roles in local authorities, NHS trusts and non-profit organisations across Hertfordshire.

This project has three primary aims:

• to pilot a new flexible internship model for undergraduate students
• to remove barriers that prevent students from accessing paid opportunities that will improve their future employability
• to raise awareness of non-clinical, technical and managerial roles across Herts and West Essex Integrated Care System.

There are four expected outcomes from this project:

• students from at-risk groups will receive 150 hours of paid work experience, paid above the London Living Wage, which they can then cite on their CV and help inform future career choices
• HWEICS organisations can directly engage with local talent, building relationships and raising awareness of the technical, managerial and non-clinical roles available across the public sector
• through a robust evaluation, Herts will be able to measure the impact of providing fully funded flexible internships to at-risk student groups
• through the work experience gained, there is an increased likelihood that students achieve positive graduate outcomes, benefitting both the student and Herts.

Recruitment for the first cohort of students is expected to commence in September 2025, and a total of 66 internships will be offered over three or four cohorts, depending on demand.

Led by Anna Lvevett (Centre for Education and Student Success)