Parliamentarians join local Health Innovation Network innovators promoting economic growth through healthcare

The Health Innovation Network brought together MPs with its 15 local networks, including Health Innovation Wessex, to discuss the importance of innovation in tackling the NHS’s most pressing challenges, such as shortening waiting lists and reducing health inequalities.  

The reception in Parliament showcased six innovators from across the country including C the Signs, a cancer prediction system which is being rolled out across many GP practices and has led to 7,000 earlier diagnoses, and PocDoc, a home test kit for cardiovascular disease.

Kit Malthouse, MP for North West Hampshire, is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Life Sciences and met Nicola Bent, Chief Executive of Health Innovation Wessex at the reception.

He said: “Health Innovation Wessex – and the wider Health Innovation Network – is doing exactly what we need more of in this country, driving breakthrough ideas into real-world NHS impact, while boosting jobs, growth and investment. The Wessex region is fast becoming a powerhouse for life sciences, and I’m proud to support the brilliant work happening here on behalf of patients and the wider economy.”

Nicola Bent said: “I was very pleased to see Kit at the Health Innovation Network reception and thank him for his interest in our work and his chairmanship of the Life Sciences APPG. The health and life sciences sector offers a huge opportunity for driving economic growth, particularly in an area like Wessex which has a vibrant research and innovation ecosystem with excellent universities, hospitals and clusters of high-tech engineering. 

“The Health Innovation Network’s support to innovators has contributed £2.6 billion to the UK economy since 2018, safeguarded or created over 10,000 jobs, and for every £1 invested in the Network, there is a £2.81 return. In Wessex, our teams provided more than 280 innovators with nearly 5,000 hours of advice and guidance last year – innovations which will improve Wessex NHS services and contribute to national economic growth.”

Innovators used the reception as an opportunity to urge the Government to take action to ensure innovation is at the heart of reforms to the healthcare system by:

• Ensuring a national focus on the implementation of innovations within the health and social care sector, including creating the right environment where innovation can more easily be delivered

• Defining multi-year health innovation priorities within the 10-year plan. 

Karin Smyth, MP, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, said: “Meeting with and hearing from innovators from across the country has been so inspiring. Health innovation is vital to helping the Government deliver on our core missions of developing sustained economic growth and building an NHS that is fit for the future. With so many programmes delivering real results for patients, Health Innovation Network is improving patient outcomes while also driving regional and national growth.”

Richard Stubbs, Chair, Health Innovation Network, said: “As the key organisation in England responsible for implementing innovation in health and care and driving economic growth, the Health Innovation Network was delighted to meet Kit Malthouse to discuss innovations in Wessex. Working closely with MPs and policymakers enables us to deliver local change faster and more widespread ensuring all patients benefit from innovation.”

Bringing together innovators and MPs at this event, Health Innovation Network continues to demonstrate the vital role the network plays in making the UK a global powerhouse for health and life sciences.