4 December 2023
A new guide to innovation implementation, readiness, and resourcing has been published, sharing practical learning from the Health Innovation Network’s successful adoption and spread of the 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 success factors, focusing on five core areas that should be considered for any transformation programme to be successfully implemented and sustained. These are:
The guide can be adapted to any innovation programme – large or small – and includes example toolkits and resources for project leads.
Highlights from the document were the topic of a recent Innovation Insights webinar run by Health Innovation East Midlands (HIEM), who led the Focus ADHD programme on behalf of the 15 local Health Innovation Networks (formerly AHSNs). The slides and recording can be accessed on demand.
The Focus ADHD programme started in 2017 as a Real-World Evaluation in the East Midlands in three ADHD services, before being commissioned by the NHS (via the Accelerated Access Collaborative) for national roll out across England between 2020 and 2023, coordinated by the 15 local health innovation networks.
During this period, the health innovation networks supported NHS services across the country to make changes to the way they diagnosed ADHD in young people. By the end of June 2023, the three-year programme had positively benefitted around 65,000 patients in England across 149 NHS sites.
Sally Forbes, Programme Manager – Innovation Adoption at Health Innovation Wessex, said:
“We’ve been working with our mental health trusts and community paediatric services to improve the assessment and diagnosis of ADHD in children and young people through the Focus ADHD programme.
“Since April 2020, this work has benefited 1,733 patients in Wessex, and resulted in a 19% release of clinical time in paediatrics and 9.2% in CAMHS.
“Focus ADHD drew on our skills across the local health innovation networks, including undertaking evaluations, data analysis, programme management, partnership working, engagement, and involvement.
“This guide brings together our experience of delivering the Focus ADHD programme, and provides practical resources to help others working to transform health and care services.
“If you'd like to find out more about how we can support your organisation to meet its objectives and improve health for patients, please get in touch using the contact details on our website.”
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