The work of England’s AHSNs is transforming lives through innovation – delivering better health outcomes, improving patient experience and safety, driving down the costs of care and supporting economic growth.

In the last year AHSNs have demonstrated an ability to gain traction rapidly and create impact. This results from each AHSN being part of a national network, while anchored in its regional health and care ecosystem, linking
the NHS, industry, charity and voluntary sector, patients and citizens, and academia.

In the first year of its new licence, the AHSN Network has undertaken a first in the NHS: the coordinated and systematic spread of a portfolio of innovation programmes and products on a national level. As a result we are developing a framework of shared approaches and methodologies for spread and adoption.

National impact

In 2018/19 the AHSN Network has delivered national programmes for:

  • NHS England
  • NHS Improvement
  • The Office for Life Sciences.

Here are just some of our headline impacts from our latest impact report:

  • helped 2,605 companies develop or spread 3,630 innovations
  • leveraged £152 million of inward investment
  • supported companies in the creation of 691 jobs and safeguarded a further 188 jobs
  • helped to prevent an estimated 13 cases of cerebral palsy in very premature babies through our PReCePT programme, saving around £10 million in lifetime health and social care costs
  • driven a 552% increase in patients benefiting from our emergency laparotomy programme
  • reached 4,309 people with osteoarthritis with our ESCAPE-pain rehabilitation programme
  • supported 32,758 patients who need extra help with prescribed medicines when they leave hospital.

 

Dr Séamus O’Neill, Chair of the AHSN Network says: “Due to our unique relationship with all the agents and beneficiaries of transformative innovation, our three national commissions are mutually reinforcing each other, each
stronger and more effective because of the mandate we have from our regions coupled with our commitment to
collaborate nationally.”

For more information on our collective impact in 2018/19 take a look at our new impact report, and for further insights and learning read our new magazine, The Innovators.