Delivering health innovation and improvement in the East of England

The APPG session on 9 July brought MPs together with leaders from NHS, local government, industry, academia and the VCSE sector to make the case for scaling innovation across the region for the benefit of population health, patient outcomes and health and care system productivity. 

Piers Ricketts, Chief Executive at Health Innovation East, addressed the government’s recent publication of Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, which makes central the role of innovations in technology, prevention and community health in driving a successful and sustainable NHS. In particular, he highlighted the expertise of the Health Innovation Network for finding high-potential innovations in areas of unmet need; testing and preparing solutions for real world adoption; and implementing these innovations at scale. 

The UK remains an international leader in the amount of funding it invests in early-stage health and life sciences research: discoveries in this space often give rise to innovation. However, it is still the case that the difficulties and resources required to implement these innovations at scale – imperative for delivering the health and wealth benefits set out in the 10 Year Health Plan – are consistently underestimated. 

Implementing innovation in an NHS site is a complex process involving significant change management. Local knowledge and adaptation are required to ensure that proven successes from one site can be translated successfully to another and scaled regionally and nationally. Health and care providers therefore need the resources, time and, crucially, freedom to adopt innovations. Greater devolution of powers has the potential to better enable local systems to tackle the systemic and social causes which are often the root causes for ill-health. 

Health Innovation East supports taking a place-based approach to innovation. By innovating in partnership with patients and communities, health and care systems have a strengthened capacity for developing and owning local solutions. Health Innovation East looks forward to continuing its collaborations with ICBs to foster this culture. 

During his conclusion to the meeting, Piers reaffirmed the NHS’ potential to act as an “engine for economic growth”, contingent on its ability to scale innovation effectively. As part of this transition, we will continue to build robust networks that engage stakeholders, promote best practice, and advocate for sustainable innovation. 

Building on momentum from the APPG, we look forward to working with partners to develop the regional system infrastructure needed to establish a Health Innovation Zone, as well as deepening our collaboration with local government to ensure that health innovations are embedded integrated programmes, such as supporting people into employment or improving public health. 

Also presenting at the APPG were speakers Vicky Head, Director of Public Health, Bedford Borough Council; Araminta Ledger, Managing Director, Cambridge University Health Partners; Beverley Egan, Chair of Essex County Council’s Caring Communities Commission; and Dr Edward Morris, regional medical director for the East of England. Parliamentarians who gave addresses were Pam Cox, MP for Colchester; Peter Prinsley, MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket; Jen Craft, MP for Thurrock; and Jess Asato, MP for Lowestoft. 

Innovators who exhibited their work were C the Signs, P.Happi, PocDoc, Sisu Health, Tend VR, TidalSense. 

For further information on the meeting, please see: 

• Briefing note 

• Non-verbatim minutes 

• Follow up letter to Secretary of State for Health and Social Care