NHS institute for Improvement (NHSII):

www.institute.nhs.uk

Responsible for setting the improvement strategy and innovation processes. Carries key themes handed down form the Department of Health.

At this level it is accepted that innovations can come from anyone anywhere, inside or outside the NHS...

Their "Innovation work process" is interesting, with four stages:

• Understand & reframe
• Develop concepts
• Test & learn
• Design & delivery

Their "Experience based design" approach is also interesting, gaining information form service users by getting their experiences as "stories".

Once you are up to speed with the processes, then for support to progress an actual innovative idea is via the NHS National Innovation Centre:-

NHS National Innovation Centre

www.nic.nhs.uk

Under this there are regional NHS Innovation hubs. The one in the West Midlands is called MidTech:

MidTech: West midlands NHS Innovation Hub

www.midtech.org.uk

There is a place for commercial partners here. The message does seem to have shifted to "exploiting innovations coming from within the NHS", rather than the "innovations come from inside or outside" message at the NHSII level.

Given the NHS internal emphasis in the Regional Innovation Hubs, there is MedilinkUK to support suppliers. MedilinkUK has regional units. In the West Midlands it is Medilink West Midlands:-

Medilink West Midlands

www.medilinkwm.co.uk

"developing business networks for medical and healthtech companies.."

National Institute for Health Research

http://www.nihr-ccf.org.uk/site/programmes/i4i/default.cfm

Conference on 16th July 2008 re new "Invention for Innovation" programme. (ex Darzi review)

NHS SHA research group have £150M each....