Dr Nicola Hutchinson, Chief Executive at Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC), shares a festive message reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to 2025.
From the inspiring health and social care achievements celebrated at the 19th Bright Ideas in Health Awards to transformative regional health initiatives, explore how together the North East and North Cumbria ecosystem is improving healthcare outcomes for people within the region.
As we approach the end of 2024, I’d like wish everyone a wonderful Christmas from all of the team at Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC). This time of year provides an opportunity to reflect on our collective achievements and the opportunities for the coming year.
A new license, a new name, the same mission
This year marked an important milestone as we embraced our new name, HI NENC, and renewed our commitment to driving health innovation across the region.
One of the highlights of 2024 was the 19th Bright Ideas in Health Awards Ceremony. The event shone a spotlight on outstanding projects in the region, such as the UK’s first cardio-renal-metabolic service; and a medical device software enhancing X-ray systems for early osteoporosis detection. These achievements truly reflect our region’s commitment to tackling health challenges through creativity, entrepreneurship, and collaboration.
Improving population health outcomes
Our relationship with the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) continues to flourish, and we hope to support them deliver the recommendations defined within the Lord Darzi Report, to drive NHS transformation. This includes supporting the three shifts: from hospital to home, analogue to digital, and from treatment to prevention.
One of the most significant outcomes of the HI NENC and NENC ICB partnership is the development of a Women’s Health Programme, which has secured significant investment to transform services for women and girls, including a FemTech Accelerator supporting innovative companies with products or services that solve major issues related to women’s health.
Additionally, we’ve made strides in initiatives to improve outcomes for people with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in our region. In the last 12 months, HI NENC and partners have delivered heart health checks to over 500 people from underserved communities in Middlesbrough, with over 60% referred for further care following abnormal results. Building upon this work, we have secured funding to expand the programme regionally in 2025.
Looking ahead to 2025
We remain committed to improving health outcomes, addressing health inequalities, and supporting economic growth. We welcome the Innovation Ecosystem Programme report, which highlights the crucial role of collaboration to accelerate the development and adoption of healthcare innovations. As part of a network of 15 health innovation organisations, we stand ready to help implement the recommendations nationally, and we look forward to working with partners locally to address the key challenges and opportunities within our region.
Thank you to every individual and organisation we work with who make all of this possible.
On behalf of the HI NENC team, I wish you a very happy Christmas.