Celebrating midwives driving safer care across the West of England
News
Today, on International Day of the Midwife, Health Innovation West of England is proud to celebrate and thank midwives across our region for the expertise, compassion and commitment that underpin safer pregnancies and births for all. This year’s theme, ‘one million more midwives globally’, highlights the urgent need to expand the workforce to improve access…
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From community activism to system accountability: highlights from the Black Maternal Health Conference
Blog article
During Black Maternal Health Week, our Head of Communications, Vanesther Hamer, shares her reflections on attending the Black Maternal Health Conference UK 2026 in London last month. In March I had the privilege of joining colleagues to represent Black Maternity Matters at the Black Maternal Health Conference UK 2026 in London, and I’ve found myself…
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Navigating AI regulation in UK healthcare: practical guidance for innovators
Blog article
Artificial intelligence continues to reshape what’s possible in healthcare, but ensuring innovations are safe, trusted and adoption-ready remains a critical challenge. In this final blog of our series following Health Innovation West of England’s Designing AI Healthcare Solutions webinar, we hear from regulatory expert Sam Bacon of SGB QA/RA Consulting Ltd. Drawing on his experience…
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West of England PreCiSSIon Collaborative wins prestigious OneTogether Award 2025
News
We are proud to announce that the West of England PreCiSSIon Collaborative has been selected as a winner of the 2025 OneTogether Awards. The award recognises the Collaborative’s remarkable achievements in reducing surgical site infections (SSIs) following caesarean birth, through a pioneering regional safety initiative. The OneTogether Awards celebrate UK healthcare professionals and teams for…
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Driving AI innovation in the NHS: lessons from Skin Analytics’ journey
Blog article
As the demand for timely and accurate cancer care continues to grow, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping redesign clinical pathways that improve patient outcomes while easing pressure on health systems. In this second instalment of our blog series following the Designing AI Healthcare Solutions: Insights, Expectations and Regulations webinar, we explore how Skin Analytics, a leading AI…
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In conversation: Natasha Swinscoe
Blog article
In this interview, Natasha reflects on her 31-year career in the NHS, in which – across those three decades – the one absolute constant has been change. Natasha discusses her journey from a general management trainee to her leadership role in the Health Innovation Network and considers the crucial link between innovation and improvement, as…
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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…
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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…
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Health Innovation Network publishes National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes 2024 -25 report
News
Last month, the Health Innovation Network published the National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes report for 2024-25, highlighting its impact and progress over the course of the year. The Programme supports the NHS Patient Safety Strategy’s aim for the NHS to continuously improve patient safety, and its ambition to save 1,000 extra lives and £100 million…
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Why wound care deserves more attention and how can we improve patient outcomes
Blog article
In this new blog post Sarah White, Senior Project Manager, looks ahead to what we will be doing to support wound care and how our work aligns to the National Wound Care Strategy Programme. Wound care might not make headlines, but it matters more than you might think. Each year, the NHS treats millions of…
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