A new report outlines the findings of 14 projects which identified and tested promising innovations to support post-pandemic ways of working in the NHS. The NHS Insights Prioritisation Programme was launched in 2021 to contribute to the recovery from COVID-19, build resilience and deliver benefits to patients. Health innovation networks (HINs) and the National Institute [...]
The NHS England patient safety team has released its quarter two, 2023/24 progress report. The report provides the latest information on how AHSNs are supporting health and care services to improve safety in these areas: Maternity and neonatal Medicines safety System safety. Read the progress report here.
Our new guide to innovation implementation, readiness and resourcing shares practical learning from the successful adoption and spread of our national Focus ADHD programme. Despite the impact of the pandemic on non-emergency services the three-year ADHD programme exceeded its targets and by June 2023 had benefited 65,000 young people. The new guide collates the critical [...]
GPs, pharmacists and geriatricians from across the country gathered at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in London on Thursday 23 November to celebrate five years since the launch of the Polypharmacy Action Learning Sets. The Action Learning Sets are an evidenced-based education approach to upskill primary care professionals in addressing problematic or unnecessary polypharmacy in their [...]
The Health Innovation Network’s National Lipid Optimisation & Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) Programme has delivered huge impact in its goal to reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and its associated health inequalities, according to the programme's new Impact Report. The report celebrates the collective achievements of the programme, which has increased the detection of people with FH, [...]
The Health Innovation Network supports the delivery of the National Patient Safety Improvement Programme through its 15 regional Patient Safety Collaboratives (PSCs). The programme supports the NHS England Patient Safety Strategy. During the first quarter of 2023/24 (April to June 2023) significant progress has been made across all five improvement workstreams. See the highlights below or download the report. [...]
Professor Gary Ford Chair of the AHSN Network and Chief Executive of Oxford AHSN The AHSN Network has an extensive history in working to tackle the major cardiovascular risk conditions that if untreated can lead to heart attacks, strokes and other adverse cardiovascular events. Since 2015, all 15 AHSNs have supported work on the detection [...]
The AHSN National Workforce Collaborative has released its 2022-23 annual review. The report presents the outcomes of our programmes to demonstrate the long-term workforce benefits of innovation. It also showcases the types of innovation projects and programmes we have delivered in 2022/23 that contributed to creating efficiencies for NHS staff, as well as opportunities and [...]
The NHS England patient safety team has released its quarter 4, 2022/23 progress report. The report provides the latest information on how AHSNs are supporting health and care services to improve safety in these areas: Managing deterioration Mental health Medicines safety System safety Maternity and neonatal Read the progress report here.
The AHSN Network is thrilled to see ‘Improving Patient Safety Culture – a practical guide’ released by NHS England this week. The new guide, developed by NHS England in association with the AHSN Patient Safety Collaboratives, supports teams to understand their culture and how to approach improving it. It is intended to be used across [...]
The NHS England patient safety team has released its impact report for 2022/23. Worldwide, patient safety incidents cause death and disability. Patient safety is about maximising the things that go right and minimising the things that go wrong for people receiving healthcare. It is integral to the NHS’s definition of quality in healthcare, alongside effectiveness [...]
Reflections from our Chair We are pleased to be able to support the NHS Patient Safety Strategy and contribute to the ambition of saving lives and money. Our work across the AHSN Network is wider than the delivery of the National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes and, in alignment with our AHSN Network strategy, will mean [...]
A message from our Chair AHSNs have transformed the way the NHS identifies, adopts and spreads promising innovations. In our first decade we have improved health outcomes and supported economic growth, both individually and working together as the AHSN Network. Since 2018 our national initiatives have benefited more than 2.3 million patients, and our support [...]
Dr Cheryl Crocker, AHSN Network Patient Safety Director, took part in a round table event hosted by Aqua to consider the question: What does safety look like at a system level? The event was chaired by Professor Ted Baker, former Chief Inspector at the CQC and Chair of the Health Service Safety Investigations Body with [...]
AHSN Network experts have compiled this review offering an AHSN perspective on digital and data innovation as part of a call for evidence within the Hewitt Review in February 2023. Perspective on Digital and Data Innovation
For innovation to be successful it must be developed in collaboration with those set to use or benefit from it. Involvement and co-production with people, public, carers, and communities is a growing and thriving agenda across the AHSN Network, and is even more important than it has ever been, given the experiences of the COVID-19 [...]
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant and continued operational impact upon England’s health and care system. In parallel, we’ve observed innovation and transformation of services at an unprecedented pace and scale, with the adoption of digital technologies being a key feature. This innovation and transformation has, in the main, been brought about by [...]
In 2021, the Network published its new five-year strategy, as a collective group of AHSNs. It sets out how we will achieve our purpose, to transform lives through innovation through three strategic aims: Strategic Aim 1: Develop outcomes-led programmes that respond to health and care priorities. Strategic Aim 2: Build a high-impact national innovation pipeline. Strategic Aim [...]
The AHSN Network’s real-world evaluation programme aims to help innovators work with adopting organisations to secure the rapid rollout of new products. The AHSN Network aims to ensure that innovators perform high-quality, relevant real-world evaluations that: demonstrate the value of a new product in real-world settings (outside of a controlled research environment) help organisations to [...]
The AHSN Network has collaborated with Boehringer Ingelheim and the University of Plymouth to develop the first of its kind, evidence-based guide to support digital health tech innovators to conduct meaningful patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE). The guide, which is built on extensive patient input, as well as insights from system leaders, innovators [...]
A note from our Chair 2021-22 has been pivotal for the AHSNs and the AHSN Network. While we are still supporting our health and care systems with the recovery from the pandemic, we have undertaken work to set out our vision and strategy and refine our processes to ensure we can meet our collective ambition [...]
A note from our Vice Chair In 2019, the AHSN Network made key pledges to demonstrate our commitment to diversity and innovation. Our pledges, adopted by all 15 AHSNs, have guided us to embed diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our organisations and our work. I promised in our first report to tell the [...]
Research was undertaken between January and November 2020, to determine approaches and challenges to spread and adoption across the AHSN Network – focusing on the period January 2018 to January 2020. The study sought to: Generate a before unknown aggregated view of approaches and challenges Understand the range and type of approaches in use Explore [...]
A note from our Chair In March 2020, the health and care system embarked on the most challenging year in its history. Within a matter of days, all 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) realigned resources and refocused our existing work to support the national and regional response to coronavirus (COVID-19). We adapted and channelled [...]
