We are in the process of changing our name to Health Innovation North East North Cumbria (HI NENC), in the interim you will see references to both AHSN NENC and HI NENC

Innovation Design Service

The HI NENC Innovation Design Service (IDS) supports clinical teams, businesses, and operational teams with the tools they need to rapidly discover innovative ideas and solve ‘Big Problems’.

IDS adopts design thinking methodology, delivered through a facilitated session, or series of sessions bringing together stakeholders to ensure all ideas are presented, considered and agreed on, to create outcomes quickly for the benefits of clinicians, patients, and the wider ecosystem. IDS’s unique position allows it to work with the health and care ecosystem to mobilise ideas and outcomes through its networks.

The IDS is supported by HI NENC’s track record of supporting the acceleration of innovation in the NHS through the Innovation Pathway and wealth of experience in delivering quality improvement projects. IDS is further supported by the toolsets and methodology adopted in the Yohlar Level 6 Business Model Innovation qualification.

The IDS Process

Design sprints traditionally take place over five days with stages to understand and define the problem, sketch potential solutions, make decisions on how to tackle the problem and prototype and test a solution.

The pressures and challenges faced by those working within the health and social care system mean that taking this amount of time out is impossible. Taking advantage of this methodology, however, could lead to the generation of innovative ideas, quicker decision making, more collaborative working and group buy in for solutions.

The IDS has been designed with this in mind, providing a full service offering which brings together designed-based thinking, service redesign and quality improvement to deliver on projects. Each IDS project is tailored to address the problem presented, with collaborative rapid discovery sessions and tailored follow up and next steps to improve outcomes.

As an integral part of the HI NENC Innovation Pathway process, IDS is able to bring in experts and provide advice and guidance to support rapid innovation in health and care.

You can find out more about the IDS in practice through our case studies below.

To find out more or to access the Innovation Design Service please contact Sarah Rendall, Digital Transformation Programme Manager.