Frequently asked questions

The Health Innovation Expedition is typically commissioned by organisations responsible for developing people, capability and innovation within health and higher education settings. This includes NHS Trusts (often through Research & Innovation, Improvement, Education or Transformation teams), universities and faculties delivering undergraduate, postgraduate or professional programmes, and regional or sector-led partnerships working across the NHS, academia and industry. In some cases, the course is commissioned jointly by multiple organisations to support interdisciplinary or inter-institutional cohorts. Commissioning organisations are usually looking to build practical innovation capability, support staff or students to engage more effectively with change, and ensure that ideas and learning translate into real activity rather than remaining isolated training interventions.

The Health Innovation Expedition is designed as an immersive, end-to-end introduction to how innovation works in practice, rather than a series of standalone topic-based sessions. Unlike many traditional courses, it is delivered face to face and takes participants through the full innovation journey — from identifying and framing a real problem, through developing and testing a solution, to pitching and understanding what happens next. Participants do not just hear about innovation; they experience the process by working in teams on realistic challenges. The course is intended to complement, not replace, the excellent training offered by Health Innovation Networks and other NHS and sector organisations. Many of those programmes focus in depth on specific topics such as intellectual property, regulation, evaluation or procurement. For people new to innovation, engaging with these topics in isolation can feel confusing or out of context, particularly if they do not yet understand what comes before or after. By providing a structured overview and shared experience of the innovation process, the Health Innovation Expedition helps participants build the confidence and context needed to get real value from more specialist or advanced training. As a result, follow-on courses and support often become more accessible and more impactful. The course is therefore particularly well suited to people and organisations at the start of their innovation journey, or those looking to create a common baseline of understanding across mixed cohorts.

Commissioning the Health Innovation Expedition includes the design and delivery of a structured, interactive programme tailored to your organisation and cohort. This typically includes: • Collaborative planning in advance to agree format, timetable and objectives • Facilitation of the course across the agreed number of days or sessions • All teaching materials, tools and exercises used during delivery • Digital handbooks and resources provided to participants for future reference • Team-based project work using either real local challenges or carefully designed case studies • Support in shaping and delivering the final Dragon’s Den or showcase session • Assistance in sourcing speakers or panel members where appropriate I also work closely with commissioning organisations before, during and after delivery to ensure the course fits local context, integrates with existing support structures, and delivers meaningful outcomes.

Very likely — formats are discussed and agreed collaboratively. The course has been designed to be flexible and has been delivered in a range of configurations to suit different organisational needs, timetables and participant groups. That said, innovation and product development are highly interactive and work best when people are working together in the same physical space. For this reason, delivery is face to face; experience has shown that fully remote delivery via online platforms does not achieve the same learning outcomes. Where the course is spread over multiple non-consecutive days (for example, one day per week), this can work well for some organisations, particularly in NHS settings. In these cases, additional travel time and costs may need to be factored in. In all discussions, the primary consideration is achieving the best possible learning experience and a coherent journey for participants. Formats are therefore shaped around how people learn most effectively, rather than around convenience alone. In some cases, organisations have asked for a more modular or “pick and mix” approach to specific topics. This is possible and can be designed to fit particular objectives, although it requires careful planning to ensure continuity and context are maintained.

Yes. To ensure a high-quality learning experience, the course can operate with a minimum of 8 participants and a maximum of 40. These numbers allow for active participation, effective team working and a vibrant learning environment, while also accounting for the reality that some participants may need to step away temporarily due to clinical or organisational pressures. Because a significant amount of preparatory work is undertaken in advance — including cohort design, team formation and tailoring to organisational context — minimum numbers are important for the course to be viable. Details relating to cancellation or postponement due to insufficient numbers are set out clearly in the Terms and Conditions,(https://www.healthinnovationexpedition.co.uk/terms-conditions) which are shared in advance of commissioning. Pricing has been designed to reflect participant numbers and the extra complexity involved in delivery. Core Expedition - from 8-16 participants Standard Expedition - up to 25 participants Full Expedition - up to 40 participants

Yes. In fact, the course is intentionally designed to work best with mixed cohorts drawn from the NHS, academia and, where appropriate, industry. Innovation in health rarely happens within a single organisation or discipline. By bringing together people with different perspectives, expertise and constraints, the course reflects how innovation works in practice and helps participants learn how to collaborate effectively across boundaries. Mixed cohorts help participants understand each other’s roles, language and pressures — for example, how decisions are made in NHS settings, how research translates into use, or how industry approaches development and adoption. This shared understanding strengthens teamwork, improves communication, and leads to more realistic and credible ideas. Where cohorts are built around specific challenges or contexts, care is taken to balance expertise while avoiding teams made up of people who already work closely together. This ensures diversity of thinking while maintaining a safe and constructive learning environment.

To deliver the course effectively, a suitable learning environment and some practical support are required. This typically includes a large, light room set up in cabaret style, A3 table-top flip charts (or similar), flip-chart pens, a projector and screen, and reliable Wi-Fi for participants. Where delivery is residential or spread over multiple days, access to breakout areas for team project work is helpful. A few days before delivery, I also ask for a participant list including names, role or subject area, level, department and institution. This information is used solely to create balanced, interdisciplinary teams and is securely destroyed after the course (electronic files securely deleted and any paper copies shredded). Other delivery details are always discussed in advance. While I can advise on what has worked well in the past, the format is shaped collaboratively to suit your organisation, timetable and objectives. For practical reasons, I also ask that accommodation is arranged nearby during delivery, and that parking access or permits are provided where required. To ensure a viable and high-quality learning experience, a minimum of 18 participants is required. In terms of additional involvement, colleagues from technology transfer, research and innovation, improvement or transformation teams are welcome to attend as facilitators. Their experience can add real value to team exercises and discussions. However, the course is not designed to accommodate passive observers. Experience has shown that observation can be disruptive to group dynamics, raise additional intellectual property considerations, and detract from the safe, collaborative environment needed for participants to engage fully. For these reasons, attendance is normally limited to active participants and agreed facilitators. If organisations are interested in running the course themselves or exploring future delivery, this is best discussed separately.

The Health Innovation Expedition is not accredited as a standalone qualification, but it has been successfully used to support CPD, academic assessment and professional development in a range of settings. In higher education contexts, the course has been incorporated into undergraduate and postgraduate provision. From 2026, the Health Innovation Expedition forms a core module within a Master’s programme in Health Leadership at the University of Lincoln, demonstrating its suitability for formal academic delivery and assessment. In NHS and professional settings, participation can be recognised as CPD in line with local organisational or professional body requirements. Outputs such as team projects, reflective work or final pitches can be aligned with local CPD or appraisal frameworks. Because CPD and assessment requirements vary between organisations and professions, arrangements are agreed locally. I am happy to work with education leads, programme directors or professional development teams to align the course with existing structures where helpful.

After delivery, I work with the commissioning organisation to evaluate the course and reflect on what has worked well, what has emerged, and what participants are likely to need next. This may include reviewing feedback, outcomes from team projects, and any themes or opportunities that have surfaced during delivery. For some organisations, this is sufficient. For others, the course highlights a desire to go further — for example, embedding learning into existing innovation processes, supporting Innovation Champions, clarifying governance pathways, or developing a clearer organisational approach to innovation. Where helpful, I can provide follow-on consultancy support to help organisations build on the momentum created by the course and translate learning into operational change. This work is optional and shaped around local priorities, capacity and readiness. More information about this support is available on the Consultancy (https://www.healthinnovationexpedition.co.uk/consultancy)page, or we can discuss what might be useful in your context.

Pricing is discussed directly and agreed in advance. The cost depends on a number of variables, including the delivery format, number of days, cohort size, location, and the level of tailoring required. For this reason, pricing is not fixed and is best discussed once we have a shared understanding of what will work best for your organisation. I am completely transparent about costs and happy to talk these through openly, including any travel or delivery implications, so there are no surprises. Please get in touch (mailto:Fabian@healthinnovationexpedition.co.uk)to discuss your requirements and explore options.

Intellectual property arrangements depend on the host organisation, any collaborating partners, and the employment or student status of participants. Ownership is therefore governed by existing organisational policies, contracts and agreements. Where courses involve a mix of staff, students and external contributors, it has previously been possible to agree a specific status for the purposes of the course and team projects, ensuring clarity around ownership and next steps. Where there is interest from an external organisation in developing project outputs, it is recommended that participants, facilitators and panel members sign a non-disclosure agreement. To avoid unnecessary complexity, participants do not bring their own existing research or projects into the course as team projects. Instead, teams work on shared challenges or case studies. If new intellectual property emerges during the course and a team wishes to take an idea forward, it is the responsibility of the host organisation to ensure that appropriate ownership and governance arrangements are in place. I do not take any ownership stake in ideas generated during the course. My role is to facilitate the process and provide guidance; I am not involved in the creation or development of the outputs themselves.

Yes — of course. I’m happy to put you in touch with organisations that have commissioned the course, subject to their availability and consent. I’ll always check that they’re happy to speak with you about their experience of working with me and the course itself. To date, organisations and individuals have been very open to sharing their perspectives. If you’d find this helpful, just let me know and I can suggest appropriate contacts based on your context.

Yes. I hold professional indemnity insurance covering coaching, training and education, including public and product liability and crisis containment. My insurance is provided through Hiscox. I am happy to provide a copy of my insurance certificate on request. Terms and conditions (https://www.healthinnovationexpedition.co.uk/terms-conditions)are shared in advance of commissioning and clearly set out delivery, cancellation and related arrangements.

Simply get in touch (mailto:fabian@healthinnovationexpedition.co.uk)and we’ll arrange a convenient time to talk. We can discuss your context, what you’re hoping to achieve, and how the course could work for your organisation. From there, we can start shaping the format and planning next steps in a way that fits your priorities and constraints.