SME News Q4 2022/ 26 Innovation in Health & Care Award 2026 The region’s innovation arm for health and care, Health Innovation West Midlands works across the NHS, academia, industry, local government, and the voluntary sector, identifying, developing, and spreading those innovations proven to enhance patient outcomes and population health. Following its recognition with our Innovation in Health & Care Award in this year’s SME News Midlands Enterprise Awards, we took a deep dive into what health innovation means for the company. Collaborating closely with those looking to bring effective solutions into real-world healthcare settings, Health Innovation West Midlands serves as a catalyst for change throughout the health and life sciences ecosystem of the region. Its strength lies in turning the ideas people and organisations generate into real-world impact, balancing innovation with implementation to improve outcomes for patients and communities. Whether it is working through its regional or its national networks, the company helps innovators to navigate the health landscape and supports the NHS to adopt the best solutions more effectively. This balance stems from its deep understanding of the local people, which Health Innovation West Midlands combines with its national influence and strong partnerships to accelerate the adoption of those innovations that can really make a difference in the quality of care and experiences that patients are provided. “Everything we do is centred on improving lives, reducing health inequalities, and supporting sustainable transformation across health and care systems.” Working in the field of healthcare innovation, Health Innovation West Midlands recognises that the field is no longer just about developing new technologies. Prevention, neighbourhood health, integrated care, digital transformation, and reducing health inequality are all just as important, leading to the mandate that the greatest challenge facing healthcare is ensuring that proven innovations are adopted, scaled, and sustained across systems. In essence, the era of standalone innovation is ending, replaced with the recognition that innovation unlocks the greatest value when it improves entire care pathways, helps people to stay well longer, means they receive the support they need closer to home, and allows them to experience more joined-up services when it comes to their health and care needs. These priorities are also aligned with the government’s three health and care shifts: from analogue to digital, treatment to prevention, and from hospital to community. Being based in this part of the country, which is one of the most significant hubs for health and life sciences innovation in the UK, puts Health Innovation West Midlands in the middle of the country’s largest medical devices cluster, more than 700 medical technology companies, a powerful network of universities, and numerous NHS organisations and innovation assets. Few regions offer such a combination, which creates an ideal environment for testing, evaluating, and scaling its innovations at pace. The diversity of the region also shines through, making the communities of the West Midlands ideal for testing, evaluating, and refining these innovations, as well as gathering evidence favouring their adoption at scale. After all, if a solution can demonstrate impact in the West Midlands, there is a strong chance it can be adopted elsewhere. With all this talk about the future, it is worth noting that Health Innovation West Midlands believes that the future sustainability of the NHS hinges on innovation, and it sees its role as being to help health and care systems deliver the shift needed towards prevention, community health, and technology-enabled care, as well as supporting economic growth across the life sciences sector. The company believes proven innovation will go from desirable to essential, and it will be there to support the West Midlands when it does. In closing, Amanda Risino, Chief Executive Officer, said: “If you’re an NHS leader, clinician, researcher, entrepreneur, or innovator with an idea that could improve health and care, we want to hear from you. From earlystage concepts through to large-scale implementation, Health Innovation West Midlands has the expertise, networks, and experience to turn promising ideas into proven impact. Contact us at opportunities@ healthinnovationwm.org and let’s start the conversation.” “Innovation does not happen in isolation, and neither do we.” More on the company bringing innovation to West Midlands healthcare, and recognised as such through the Innovation in Health and Care Award in this edition of the SME News Midlands Enterprise Awards, can be found at the link below. Contact: Hayley Jary Company: Health Innovation West Midlands Web Address: www.healthinnovationwestmidlands.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==