We are pleased to introduce our latest impact report, showcasing the difference we’ve made to the lives of people across the West of England over the last 12 months.
Our collective efforts have positively impacted over 14,300 people and supported more than 16,000 health and care colleagues across the West of England in the past year. We’ve also played a significant role in driving economic growth nationally, leveraging over £490 million and helping to create or safeguard more than 912 jobs through the national Health Innovation Network.
These numbers reflect our commitment to accelerating the government’s fundamental shifts for the NHS, as detailed in the publication this week of the new 10 Year Health Plan: moving from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from treatment to prevention.
You’ll read how we are empowering more people to stay well at home through the rollout of the HOME remote blood pressure monitoring service and the Living Well with COPD pilot.
Through our support for apps like Anya, providing 24/7 breastfeeding and parenting support, we are helping to embrace a digital transformation of how we provide health and care services.
And through our collaborative work, such as the Cancer Innovation Programme with the Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire (SWAG) Cancer Alliance, we are helping to move the focus of the NHS from treatment to prevention.
Our pioneering PERIPrem care bundle continues to make a profound difference, having cared for over 3,400 premature babies in the South West to date and contributing to the region achieving the country’s lowest mortality rate for babies born at less than 32 weeks.
Our work to encourage a reduction in the prescribing of high-risk opioids has saved around 17 lives in the West of England, while the risk of opioid-related deaths has been halved for around 487 people.
Crucially, we are committed to tackling health inequalities. Our Black Maternity Matters collaborative, now with 331 members, directly confronts maternal health disparities through anti-racist training and support for perinatal staff. Our national Polypharmacy Programme has engaged nearly 6,000 healthcare professionals across England, reducing medication-related harm and encouraging better patient conversations, particularly in seldom-heard communities.
Our success is rooted in collaboration with NHS provider organisations, integrated care systems, universities, industry, patients and communities. We also support our health and care workforce to foster an innovation mindset through our West of England Academy and initiatives like the Innovate Healthier Together Fellowship, benefiting 495 participants and 130 Fellows this year.
We are incredibly grateful to all our partners, collaborators and dedicated teams whose passion and expertise made these achievements possible. We have so much good work to build on here in the West of England.
In the coming months and years, we will continue to act as crucial connectors and facilitators, collaborating with diverse partners and bridging the gap between researchers, industry and NHS partners, to support the adoption and spread of proven innovations and transform to new ways of working.
We look forward to working with you on our shared ambitions, ensuring all communities in the West of England benefit faster from the very best innovations in health and care.
Steve West, Chair of Health Innovation West of England and Vice-Chancellor of UWE Bristol
Natasha Swinscoe, Chief Executive of Health Innovation West of England
Posted on July 4, 2025 by Steve West, Chair of Health Innovation West of England and Vice-Chancellor of UWE Bristol and Natasha Swinscoe, Chief Executive of Health Innovation West of England
