Innovation Exchange
All 15 AHSNs support the regional ‘import and export’ of healthcare innovation through our Innovation Exchange.
The Innovation Exchange is an AHSN coordinated approach to identify, select and support the adoption of innovations that improve our economy and patients’ lives.
The Innovation Exchange identifies innovations for the Accelerated Access Collaborative and for local adoption. The Accelerated Access Collaborative is a national partnership of organisations including NHS England, Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, NICE, NHS Improvement and the AHSNs.
The Innovation Exchange has four structured elements:
- Needs definition
- Innovator support and signposting
- Real world validation
- Spread and adoption of supported innovations.
Needs definition
We support our Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) and Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) to identify proven solutions to existing challenges.
Innovator support and signposting
Innovator support is provided by all AHSNs. The Innovation Pathway sets out the range of service offered. There is a consistent and co-ordinated offer to innovators wherever they are identified in the system.
Real world validation
Real world validation is informed by regional and local need and seeks to provide the information and evidence needed to enable adoption of the innovation in a variety of settings.
Spread and adoption of supported innovations
The Innovation Exchange supports the adoption of innovations identified by the Accelerated Access Collaborative. It also identifies and supports the adoption of innovations on a regional and cross-regional basis.
Funded by the government’s Office for Life Sciences, the Innovative Exchange builds on AHSNs’ unique expertise and cross-sector connections, enabling us to identify common challenges and quickly bring people and organisations together to develop, test and spread proven innovation.
