Benefits & Testimonials
Benefits
The Health Innovation Expedition is multi-faceted and introduces a range of outcomes beyond just a training course (network creation, generation of solutions being developed to real clinical unmet need, new collaborations, better understanding between clinical and research specialties).
The original aim for developing the course has been met - to introduce potential innovators to the innovation process, to understand how to complete disclosure forms appropriately, to facilitate better relationships with technology transfer staff and to be able to have the confidence and tools to be able to research a problem and develop a robust solution concept.
Other major aspects from the start was to develop better team communication and co-working among staff and students - breaking down silos. Understanding that research is not the realm of PhDs was also important to empower staff to undertake their own reviews and evaluations.
Additionally for organisations and institutions this course meets:
The Topol Review
To educate NHS workforce to understand innovation and be more receptive to new ideas as well as develop their own without duplication of effort - collaboratively.
The NHS Long Term Plan
A focus on increasing staff understanding of improvement knowledge and skills.
Teaching Excellence Framework
The course adds to the TEF for students at any level. Employability through understanding different markets, employment opportunities and communication and teamwork skills. The course was used at Sheffield Hallam University as part of the extra curricular innovation award recognised at graduation
Social Media
The course used to cause quite a stir on social media (Twitter as it was) while it ran with students. It was always fantastic to see how the teams bonded and developed a real passion for their team projects - real clinical unmet need scenarios. In latter years, fewer participants use social media.
If you've been part of the courses and want to add your thoughts here please get in touch!
Talking Heads Videos
In June and July 2024, we ran the "Season 2" of course for the Allied Health Professionals Network in the East Midlands and Lincoln University researchers. The cohorts from the past two years are organically forming a meaningful Innovation Champion Network across the region. To see some of the feedback please click on the links below. These will open on the University of Lincoln website:
In June and July 2023, we ran the course for the Allied Health Professionals Network in the East Midlands and Lincoln University researchers. This was a big event and has caused a huge positive stir in the East Midlands region. To see some of the feedback please click on the links below. These will open in a new tab on our YouTube channel:
Here are some of the students from the June 2018 cohort who have gone on to start careers in the NHS from Sheffield Hallam University talking about their experiences of the course. These will open in a new tab on our YouTube channel:
The Clients and Host Organisation Facilitators
I've delivered The Health Innovation Expedition for the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing at Sheffield Hallam University and for the Medtech Foundation & Translate:Medtech (a consortium from the Universities of York, Leeds, Leeds Beckett, Bradford and Huddersfield). Most recently I have delivered the course for Lincoln University and the East Midlands Allied Health Professions Network. In 2025 the course will be delivered to Doncaster & Bassetlaw NHS Foundation Trust and Bradford University.
Wider Impact
The Lincolnshire Research and Innovation Hub - Lincolnshire Improvement for Everyone (LIfE) was officially launched at Lincoln University on 17th April 2024. The hub is a virtual place to bring together the Lincolnshire public, health and care staff, university colleagues and other partners to grow research and innovation in Lincolnshire (and elsewhere) for everyone’s benefit. One of the outcomes from the 2023 course at Lincoln was the creation of this LIfE Hub. The course may have only been the catalyst, but it was a great honour to have been part of it!
Acknowledgements
I have based this course on my personal experience of innovation in health. But it also uses a mix of different models including the Fourth Innovation model (Gijs van Wulfen), The Stage Gate Model (Robert G. Cooper) and Business Model Generation (Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur). I've had an enormous amount of support in being able to enhance the course with materials, case studies, videos and other content.
These people and people within organisations in particular have been amazing in enabling me to deliver a diverse and engaging course.
Full credit and acknowledgement is given in course materials to organisations who have helped and referenced to permitted use of copyrighted materials. It's basically a great (and free) means to promote your latest innovations and raise awareness about your organisation to the next generation of Medtech researchers and NHS staff.
Please note that the web links were correct as of March 2025! Thank you everyone.
School of Health, Wellbeing & Life Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University - School of Health & Social Care, University of Lincoln - Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria - Health Innovation East Midlands - Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber - Tal Golesworthy, Exstent Ltd - West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust - South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - NAViGO Health & Social Care CIC - The Kings Fund - The UK Intellectual Property Office - Zilico Ltd - Dr Patrick Trotter, Medilink North of England - Patient Experience Network - Moore Barlow LLP - ETC Toolkit - Solving Together - Health Tech Enterprise Ltd - PCMIS Improving Patient Wellbeing (University of York) - Thrive by Design - NIHR Surgical MedTech Co-Operative - NIHR Research Support Service - Dr Dominic Petronzi, University of Derby - Docabode Ltd - Gijs van Wulfen - Tom Gould - Philippa Hedley-Takhar - Thomas Wright - Dr Chris Smejkal