Grounded in growth: Health Innovation Wessex outlines its priorities for 2025-26

Publishing the Health Innovation Wessex Business Plan for 2025-26, Nicola Bent - Chief Executive, and Fiona Driscoll - Chair, said:

"This business plan outlines our strategic priorities for 2025–26, grounded in three core missions: to scale innovation, improve health outcomes, and foster economic growth. These missions are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. By identifying and supporting a rich pipeline of evidence-based innovations, we enable our local NHS and care systems to respond more effectively to the complex challenges they face."

"By focusing on alignment with the government's three shifts to digital innovation, sickness to prevention and moving care from hospital to community settings, plus regional health priorities such as cardiovascular disease and early cancer diagnosis, we ensure that innovation translates into tangible benefits for our population. By cultivating strategic partnerships across healthcare, academia and industry, we also create the conditions for long term economic growth."

"Our approach is rooted in collaboration. We are proud to work in partnership with our local integrated care boards, NHS provider trusts, universities and research organisations to co-develop solutions that are not only innovative but also practical, scalable, and sustainable. These partnerships amplify our impact and ensure that the innovations we support are aligned with both local needs and the national three shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital and treatment to prevention."

"In the year ahead, we will continue to invest in our capabilities — particularly in data, digital and genomics. These are not only enablers of innovation; they are the foundations of an innovative, responsive and equitable health system. Through platforms like the Wessex Secure Data Environment and our collaboration with the Central and South Genomic Medicine Service Alliance, we will harness cutting-edge science and technology to inform new care pathways and identify novel interventions."

"We also recognise that innovation is not just about technology — it is about people. Our values of inclusivity, collaboration and innovation are embedded in everything we do. We are committed to fostering a culture where our team, members, community partners and stakeholders feel empowered to look at challenges differently, continuously learn, share ideas and co-create solutions."

"Our three core missions and delivery against the three shifts reflect the ongoing commitment Health Innovation Wessex holds to transforming health and care through innovation. Together, these three missions position Health Innovation Wessex as a trusted leader in our local ecosystem, supporting our system partners to deliver solutions that meet the health and care priorities of our population now and in future years."

Read the 2025-26 business plan here or browse the flipbook.