Health Innovation Network Health Innovation Podcast

Hear about NHS NIPP initiatives that are reducing impact on hospitals and addressing health inequalities. 

Louise Hall, Evaluation Lead for Health Innovation South West explores their Community Assessment & Treatment Unit (CATU) initiative to enable frail, older patients to be treated closer to home while also reducing hospital admissions. In Sheffield, a different approach is being taken and Professor Suzanne Mason from the University of Sheffield’s School of Health and Related Research discusses how multidisciplinary teams working in urgent care hubs are reducing hospital admissions, mainly in older people, by accepting referrals for patients who don’t need to go to hospital. 

Professor Dan Lasserson, who is the only Professor of Ambulatory Care in the UK and is based at the University of Warwick, focuses on a research programme examining hospital-level care at home for frail older adults. 

All three emphasise the importance of understanding culture change in healthcare and the importance of different groups working together to meet diverse needs and enable sustainable innovation. These initiatives aim to improve patient and carer experiences and offer solutions to health inequalities by providing effective care outside of traditional hospital settings.

In conversation with Nigel Thompson are:

Louise Hall, Evaluation Lead from the Health Innovation South West team (before joining the team in 2016, Louise worked in the charity sector, leading evaluation activities and analysis at Marie Curie and Co-ordinated Action Against Domestic Abuse).

Professor Suzanne Mason is from the University of Sheffield’s School of Health and Related Research. She is Deputy Director and Urgent Care theme lead at the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire and Humber (NIHR ARC Yorkshire and Humber) and the national NIHR ARCs lead for Urgent and Emergency Care. With close ties to Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, she’s also a consultant in the emergency department at the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Dan Lasserson is the only Professor of Ambulatory Care in the UK and is based at the University of Warwick. He is Acute Care Interfaces theme lead at the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration West Midlands (NIHR ARC West Midlands).

In this episode, four guest discuss health inequalities in England.

Listen in as Aoife Molloy, NHS England’s Senior Clinical Advisor for Health and Equality, and Jo Dumville, Professor of Applied Research at the University of Manchester, where she leads the Manchester Wounds Research Group, discuss healthcare inequalities in England. 

They emphasise that these inequalities are systematic, avoidable and result in unfair differences in health outcomes among different groups of people. They reference the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid implementation of vaccination programmes. The conversation moves into how the Core 20 plus 5 strategy, which is taking learning from COVID-19 into the longer term, aims to address inequalities by focusing on the 20% most deprived in the country and five key clinical areas through community engagement, national support programmes and by tracking inequalities improvement.

We are also joined by Sophie Lowry, Implementation and Involvement Manager from the Health Innovation Network South London and Sandra Tomlinson, who is a lay educator in the HEAL-D programme, which is a response to people of African and Caribbean heritage being at higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, particularly at a younger age than other groups. They discuss the success of the HEAL-D programme (Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes) which addresses a lack of awareness about food choices, and the importance of community involvement in its design. Hear about the role NHS NIPP has played in evaluating and scaling up HEAL-D.

In conversation with Nigel Thompson are:

Aoife Molloy, NHS England’s Senior Clinical Advisor for Health and Equality 

Jo Dumville, Professor of Applied Research at the University of Manchester and deputy lead for Evaluation at the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (NIHR ARC Greater Manchester)

Sophie Lowry, Implementation and Involvement Manager from the Health Innovation Network South London and part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration South London's (NIHR ARC South London) Implementation and Involvement team. 

Sandra Tomlinson, who is a facilitator for the HEAL-D programme

In this edition we discuss how digital monitoring is making a difference and hear the experiences of three guests. 

Hear a conversation that navigates through the healthcare disparities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and moves on to discuss the critical role played by NHS NIPP in evaluating innovative projects, revealing that overcoming cultural acceptance challenges is more pivotal than financial or technological hurdles in healthcare innovation. 

The discussion includes real-world examples from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) Oxford and Thames Valley, Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley's virtual stroke clinics, and NIHR ARC Wessex and Health Innovation Wessex's exploration of remote monitoring for frailty in an aging population. A theme throughout is how adopting digital monitoring innovations is a team game, requiring a balanced approach between virtual and face-to-face care, and understanding what’s most important to patients, carers and doctors.

In conversation with Nigel Thompson are:

Dr David Kryl, Director of Insight at Health Innovation Wessex

Dr Jennifer Lynch, Senior Research Fellow and project lead at the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration East of England (NIHR ARC East of England).

Tracey Marriott, Director of Clinical Innovation Adoption, Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley 

In this edition we discuss how digital monitoring is making a difference and hear the experiences of three guests. 

Hear a conversation that navigates through the healthcare disparities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and moves on to discuss the critical role played by NHS NIPP in evaluating innovative projects, revealing that overcoming cultural acceptance challenges is more pivotal than financial or technological hurdles in healthcare innovation. 

The discussion includes real-world examples from Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley's virtual stroke clinics and Health Innovation Wessex's exploration of remote monitoring for frailty in an ageing population. A theme throughout is how adopting digital monitoring innovations is a team game, requiring a balanced approach between virtual and face-to-face care, and understanding what’s most important to patients, carers and doctors.

In conversation with Nigel Thompson are:

Dr David Kryl, Director of Insight at Health Innovation Wessex

Dr Jennifer Lynch, Senior Research Fellow and project lead at the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration East of England

Tracey Marriott, Director of Clinical Innovation Adoption, Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley.

Find out more about the NHS Insights Prioritisation Programme.

Patient safety programmes form a large part of the AHSN Network’s work – a refreshed patient safety plan was delivered earlier this year – and patients play a central role in their development.
Greg Stringer talks to four individuals about their contributions to patient engagement.
Wendy Westoby is a stroke survivor and Heart Hero who campaigns to raise awareness of high blood pressure.
Debbie Parkinson is Public Involvement Lead at the Innovation Agency and organises Heart Hero activities.
Graham Smith is a patient who suffers from chronic pain.
Natasha Callender is a Senior Project Manager at Health Innovation Network and runs a project to which Graham has contributed.
Read about the AHSN Network’s patient and public involvement work: https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/priorities/patient-and-public-involvement-and-co-production/
Read the AHSN Network’s Patient safety in partnership report: https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/national-publications/patient-safety-in-partnership-june-2023/
Find your regional AHSN: https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/about-us/your-local-ahsn/  

Climate change causes health emergencies, with more intense storms and floods, more frequent heatwaves and the spread of infectious disease. We hear how the NHS is aiming for a net zero carbon emission target, to save lives and protect the planet.
Our guests are UCLPartners Chief Medical Officer Dr Dominique Allwood; AHSN Network Net Zero Lead Pete Waddingham; and Greener NHS Deputy Director Dr Natalia Kurek – talking to Caroline Kenyon.
Useful resources:
Delivering a Net Zero NHS
https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/a-net-zero-nhs/
https://nhsaccelerator.com/news-item/nhs-innovation-accelerator-nia-partners-with-greener-nhs-to-help-fellows-get-climate-ready/
UCLPartners Climate Collaborative – Connecting for Change to help achieve NHS net zero - UCLPartners
Climate - UCLPartners
Contact details for speakers:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Innovations which improve efficiency but fail to reduce health inequalities ‘hit the target but miss the point’ according to the AHSN Network’s vice chair Richard Stubbs.
He is joined by three people key to the delivery of AHSN Network innovation programmes which have had a big impact on targeting parts of the population which often miss out when new products or services are introduced.
After Richard Stubbs, who is also chief executive of Yorkshire and Humber AHSN, we hear from Sally Irwin of the Health Innovation Network on ‘Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles for Diabetes (HEAL-D) for adults of African or Caribbean heritage’; Laura Boyd of UCLPartners re the National Blood Pressure Optimisation Programme; and Cathy McCabe of South West AHSN on ‘Keeping urgent care in the community: How Community Assessment and Treatment Units can enable systems to manage urgent care for the frail and elderly closer to home’, in conversation with Caroline Kenyon.
The episode was recorded at NHS ConfedExpo 2023 following a session in the Innovator Zone Theatre.

Useful links:
How AHSNs are addressing health inequalities: https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/priorities/health-inequalities/
HEAL-D website
BMJ Open article: Mixed-methods implementation study of a virtual culturally tailored diabetes self-management programme for African and Caribbean communities (HEAL-D) in south London and its scaling up across NHS regions in England: study protocol
HEAL-D case study: NHS England » Addressing health inequalities through co-developing the Healthy Eating & Active Lifestyles for Diabetes (HEAL-D) programme
Community Assessment & Treatment Units (CATUs) - The South West Academic Health Science Network (SWAHSN)
Blood Pressure Optimisation Impact report: ahsnnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AHSN_BPO_Report_Final_.pdf?trk=public_post_comment-text
Proactive care frameworks: Proactive care frameworks - UCLPartners 
Size of the prize: Size of the Prize for high blood pressure (uclpartners.com) 

Virtual wards, remote monitoring and automation have been adopted at speed during and since Covid. In this episode we hear about the benefits and the lessons learned – and the potential to do much more to benefit both patients and staff.
We hear from Jenni West, Innovation Agency Associate Director of Digital Transformation on evaluating the benefits of virtual wards; Sam Hayes, Consultant Physiotherapist at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital on digitising pulmonary rehabilitation services; and Dr Theodora Ephson, Head of Growth at Ufonia Ltd on automating routine cataract appointments using artificial intelligence. Our guests are in conversation with Caroline Kenyon.

The episode was recorded at NHS ConfedExpo 2023 following a session in the Innovator Zone Theatre.

Find your local AHSN:  https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/about-us/your-local-ahsn/

Ufonia Ltd: https://ufonia.com/
 

One of the many hurdles an innovator must navigate in the NHS is the need for evidence. We hear from two innovators who have succeeded in proving the impact of their solutions; and from an AHSN leader who helps innovators to secure real world evaluation in order to progress their products.
In conversation with Caroline Kenyon are Dr Neville Young of Yorkshire and Humber AHSN; Dr Greg Burch of Tiny Medical Apps; and Martin Eades of Priory Medical Group.

The episode was recorded at NHS ConfedExpo 2023 following a presentation in the Innovator Zone Theatre.
NHS Innovation Accelerator: https://nhsaccelerator.com/
NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme: https://www.england.nhs.uk/aac/what-we-do/how-can-the-aac-help-me/clinical-entrepreneur-programme/
NHS Innovation Service: https://innovation.nhs.uk/
Find your local AHSN:  https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/about-us/your-local-ahsn/
Digital Health Passport: https://digitalhealthpassport.co/
Klinik’s AI patient triage system saves PCN £300,000 case study:
https://www.yhahsn.org.uk/how-we-can-help-you/industry/case-studies/using-ai-to-triage-patients-provide-better-patient-experience-and-reduce-pressure-on-frontline-staff/ 

It’s fantastic to create an innovation and get it into practice with support from innovation systems and startup funding; but how is it sustained beyond its initial launch?
In this episode we hear how two innovators have been supported and how national innovation schemes are helping them to accelerate their adoption and spread.
In conversation with Caroline Kenyon are Konrad Dobschuetz of the NHS Innovation Accelerator and UCLPartners; Antoinette Honegan of Muther Tongue; and Piyush Mahapatra of Open Medical.
The episode was recorded at NHS ConfedExpo 2023 following a theatre session.

Useful links:
NHS Innovation Accelerator: https://nhsaccelerator.com/
NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme: https://nhscep.com/
Open Medical Ltd: https://www.openmedical.co.uk/
Muther Tongue: https://www.muthertongue.co.uk/
Find your local AHSN:  https://www.ahsnnetwork.com/about-us/your-local-ahsn