Celebrating and supporting innovation: the NHS at 75
As we mark 75 years of the NHS, Director of Engagement Chris Day reflects on the role innovation has played. He looks ahead to the future, and shares his thoughts on how we as the regulator can support and encourage innovation.
The NHS turning 75 gives us all the opportunity to reflect on where it started and look where it’s going. Since its inception, it has been at the forefront of innovation. When it was founded in 1948, the NHS was the first universal health system to be available to all, free at the point of delivery.
The NHS has delivered world firsts: from CT scans to test-tube babies, to national vaccine programmes. It is a leader in adopting innovative medicines. It has delivered huge medical advances and pioneered new treatments.
Innovative practice and technological change are important for the future of the NHS. They are the tools to drive improvement and deliver better outcomes and experiences for people receiving health and care services.
As the regulator of health and care services in England, we have a role to create a culture where innovation can flourish. We want to support providers, local authorities, and integrated care systems to improve services to deliver good care for people and identify and address their own challenges.
Innovation isn’t reserved for the biggest providers. And it’s not just for those rated as — or considered — outstanding. Anyone can innovate to improve the experiences and outcomes of the people they serve. We also know that innovation isn’t a one-off activity or destination. Organisations need flexibility to learn and adapt innovations and improvement projects.
We recognise that for something to be innovative, it doesn’t mean it has to include new technology. Innovation can include new workplace practices, communication approaches, staff support, information and guidance, or system changes — to name a few! Just as the services the NHS and social care provides are wide and varied, so are the approaches to innovation.
As we embed whole system working, there’s a real opportunity for integrated care systems to encourage innovation — whether that’s creating something new or adopting something that’s being used elsewhere. With our new responsibilities relating to local authority and integrated care assessment, we’re well-placed to help share and promote what’s working well — and what isn’t — and why.
Through our recent work funded by the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund, we’ve heard of some fantastic initiatives. These range from tools to allow easy planning, mapping, and tracking of person-centred support, to contact-free patient monitoring developed for use in mental health settings to enable observations without disturbing sleep.
One common theme coming through the case studies we’ve received and conversations we’ve had is that everything should be centred on the experience of people. The type of collaboration or co-design will vary depending on the innovation and type of service, but the importance of working with people and recognising patients as innovators has come through strongly.
I see our role at the CQC as helping to support and champion innovative ideas that drive real improvements for people who use services. More than that, I also see our role as encouraging and reassuring innovators that we understand things may not go exactly as planned — and there is value in that too.
Finding new ways to tackle both existing and novel issues takes a culture that lets people explore, respond, and learn. The success of the last 75 years is built on the creativity and innovation of people working at the heart of our national health and care services. Its future success will rely upon that same creativity, focus and collective passion to improve people’s health outcomes. Much has been achieved and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
Happy birthday, NHS, here’s to the next 75 years!
