Bright Ideas – Setting the Scene for 2019
3rd December 2018 - By
Now the dust has settled on another great night, I thought I would write a post reviewing, and telling you about my experiences with, this year’s Bright Ideas in Health Awards (BIHA).
The evening saw some great concepts, individuals and of course ideas, celebrated and recognised. This was my first experience of the BIHA from within the AHSN – previously, I have been involved from an entrant’s perspective when the Clinical Research Network had one of their ideas shortlisted.
Firstly, congratulations to all of those who made the shortlist in a very competitive year at the BIHA – the quality of the applications this year was very high across the board. A big congratulations also to the winners of the BIHA in each of the five categories; it will be great to see how the ideas can help to positively impact the healthcare landscape in our region and beyond.
Being involved in the BIHA behind the scenes for the first time has shown me how important it is not just to the winners but to the applicants as well. There is a great amount of support available to help develop these ideas into prototypes or tangible service evaluations. Support can also be provided to link the ideas with solutions for the unmet needs they have identified within their wards or hospitals, which are already on the market. Local innovation teams can help to drive this.
The BIHA ceremony is a great night for celebrating the innovations which are coming out of the workforce across the North East and North Cumbria – however, the ideas behind the applications are worked on by the AHSN and the NHS all year round to help improve healthcare. So, if you have the slightest hint of a Bright Idea, no matter what stage it is at, please do contact us – it is our job here at the AHSN to help progress these ideas into healthcare improvements.