The Industry and Innovation team held its autumn Health Innovation Programme (HIP) during November for 11 delegates who had travelled from across the country. The HIP is a four-day accelerator to enhance delegates’ understanding and knowledge of the NHS systems, aid them in navigating the innovation pathway in health and social care, and support them to compile an introductory pitch for their product.
The delegates represented a range of health sector innovations including point of care testing, medical devices and the use of artificial intelligence for assisting diagnosis and assessment. All their innovations were in the early stages of development with the HIP course providing the foundations for them to further progress and aim for successful adoption and implementation
The course was held at a fantastic venue on the Dorset coast in Bournemouth. We were privileged to have Dorset Integrated Care Board (ICB) team members present on the course on a variety of topics such as digital implementation and health inequalities, in addition to providing the delegates with insights to Dorset’s current priorities, projects, planning and how innovation is a crucial part of their future strategy. The delegates were able to have face-to-face discussions with key stakeholders from within the NHS structure and learn first-hand from those making the decisions, an opportunity that the delegates found invaluable.
Feedback on the ICB session: “Hearing from a leading digital team in the NHS is excellent insight! One of the team also offered time and email to exchange ideas, access to this will save us time and resources.”
Along with sessions delivered from the local ICB team, the delegates also received expert support from Health Innovation Wessex (HIW). The Industry and Innovation team supported the delegates with the development of a value proposition throughout the four days; the Implementation Adoption team provided a workshop for the delegates to work through an implementation canvas which supported them with a plan for successful adoption and implementation. Sustainability and net zero experts from HIW provided the delegates with key insights into achieving the NHS net zero goals. 
Feedback received on the implementation workshop session: “One of the best sessions. The practice sessions are very useful in terms of putting things into practice.”
The delegates presented their developed introductory pitch to an expert panel with members from industry, clinicians, NHS Transformation and a successful innovator, all providing their advice and guidance to the delegates. The panel’s award for best presentation went to Tim Crook, founder of DXTRUS, an innovation for hand rehabilitation.
In addition to feedback on their presentations, the delegates had speed mentoring sessions with the panel members and the HIW Industry and Innovation team. This provided opportunities for one-to-one sessions which gave them bespoke feedback and guidance for planning their next steps.
Feedback on the speed mentoring sessions: “Well arranged, really appreciated the feedback received.”
The HIW Industry and Innovation team continues to provide support to the delegates following the course, helping them with progressing their innovations along the pathway from idea to commercialisation.
When asked if they would recommend the course to other innovators in the health and social care landscape one delegate said:
“100%, it’s probably been the best course I have ever been on. I am very pleased to have been given the opportunity.”
If you would like the opportunity to attend our next HIP course in spring 2025, you can express your interest now by emailing claire.martin@hiwessex.net and we expect applications will be opening soon into 2025.
