Prescribing with, not at: rethinking polypharmacy for #MedSafetyWeek
News
This year is the eleventh annual #MedSafetyWeek social media campaign, taking place from 2 to 8 November 2026, with the theme: ‘Side effects – don’t ignore them, report them’. As part of #MedSafetyWeek, Clare Howard, Clinical Lead for the Health Innovation Network’s Preventing Problematic Polypharmacy programme, has recorded a special podcast with Dr Lucy Pollock,…
Read more
Empowering pharmacists for healthier futures
Blog article
To mark World Pharmacist Day on Friday 25 September 2026, Rosie Marchant, Pharmacist Clinical Lead at Health Innovation West of England, reflects on her career as a pharmacist, her journey to becoming Clinical Lead for our work as part of the Health Innovation Network’s on-going cluster, Preventing Problematic Polypharmacy, and how the programme is helping…
Read more
Medicines Safety Improvement Programme shortlisted for national HSJ Award
News
The Medicines Safety Improvement Programme (MedSIP) has been shortlisted for Medicines, Pharmacy and Prescribing Initiative of the Year at the 2026 HSJ Awards, recognising the national programme’s work to reduce harm from opioid medicines and support safer, more personalised approaches to chronic pain management. Health Innovation West of England is supporting delivery of MedSIP as…
Read more
National Polypharmacy Programme shortlisted for the 2026 HSJ Awards
News
We are delighted to announce that the Preventing Problematic Polypharmacy programme, which we led on behalf of the national Health Innovation Network, has been shortlisted for Medicines, Pharmacy and Prescribing Initiative of the Year at the HSJ Awards. A record-breaking 1,300+ entries were received for this year’s Awards, with only 231 projects and individuals reaching…
Read more
The power of partnership: how collaborative innovation is improving 60,000+ lives in the West
News
We have published our 2025-26 Impact Report, showcasing how collaboration is at the heart of everything we do as a regional network. By bringing together the right people and organisations, including all NHS service providers in the West, three integrated care boards, four universities, charities, VCSE organisations, and the life sciences sector, we have helped…
Read more
Health innovation in action
Blog article
Marking the publication of Health Innovation West of England’s new impact report for 2025-26, our Chair and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West of England, Steve West, and our Chief Executive, Natasha Swinscoe, reflect on a year of transformative progress in embedding innovation into everyday care. Over the past year, Health Innovation West of…
Read more
Preventing Problematic Polypharmacy: Getting the balance right in older people and those with frailty
News
Addressing problematic polypharmacy – the use of multiple medicines that may no longer be necessary or may cause harm – remains a critical national priority and a major challenge for the NHS. Studies indicate that up to 50% of medications prescribed to older people could be inappropriate. Currently more than 765,000 people aged 65 and…
Read more
In conversation: Jan Scott, Senior Programme Manager – Patient Safety
Blog article
In the latest in our series of interviews with members of the Health Innovation West of England team, we talk to Senior Programme Manager, Jan Scott, who leads our patient safety programmes. Jan reflects on her career so far, the work she’s passionate about, and the impact in patient safety we’re collectively striving to make across…
Read more
Empowering patients and upskilling clinicians to tackle overprescribing
News
As the Health Innovation Network’s Polypharmacy: Getting the Balance Right programme – which we have led on behalf of the Network – draws to a close, a suite of new reports highlights its transformative impact on patient safety and clinical practice across England. The programme has successfully engaged with over 12,000 healthcare professionals to support…
Read more
New resources to support Structured Medication Reviews with care home residents
News
The Health Innovation Network has launched a new suite of resources specifically designed to support residents, their families, and care home staff in preparing for and participating in Structured Medication Reviews (SMRs). Developed by the NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Research Collaboration, the resources were co-designed with care home residents, relatives and staff. These…
Read more
