Assessing the economic and environmental implications of the UniWee™ device
News
Developed by nurses in the Emergency Department at Great Western Hospitals (GWH) NHS Foundation Trust, UniWee™ is an innovative device that has been commercialised in collaboration with Omni-Pac to provide female patients who are unable to walk with a dignified, pain-free way to urinate whilst sitting or lying down. As part of our support to…
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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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Global community insights into digital healthcare
News
At Health Innovation West of England, we support innovators and the health and care system to develop and deploy innovations that improve healthcare. With more services moving online, it is essential we understand how digital health tools are experienced by people who are often excluded from shaping services. We are inviting VCSE sector organisations in…
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Launch of seven new innovation projects to drive earlier and faster cancer diagnosis
News
In partnership with the NHS Somerset, Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire (SWAG) Cancer Alliance, we are launching seven pioneering innovation projects aimed at transforming cancer diagnosis across the region. Funded by the NHS SWAG Cancer Alliance as part of our joint Cancer Innovation Programme, we selected these projects through a competitive open call and are designed…
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Why improving trans healthcare doesn’t end at transition
Blog article
In this blog, Jamie Jewkes, Project Support Officer with Health Innovation West of England, explores some of the issues faced by trans people when it comes to healthcare and considers the role all innovators must play in advocating for more inclusive health and care provision. In April this year, the Cervical Screening Administration Service (CSAS)…
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Our impact report for 2024-25: how Health Innovation West of England is well positioned to support delivery of the government’s new 10 Year Health Plan
Blog article
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…
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Black Maternity Matters statement: national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services
News
The Black Maternity Matters collaborative welcomes the government’s announcement of a rapid review into maternal and neonatal culture and safety, and particularly the focus on tackling inequalities in care for Black, Asian, and other underserved communities. Like the wider community working to end harm, poor outcomes and trauma for women, families, and babies racialised as…
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New insights on improving access to Structured Medication Reviews for seldom-heard communities
News
The Health Innovation Network has published a new report sharing insights and lessons from its initiative to improve access to Structured Medication Reviews for patients in seldom-heard communities, particularly those living in areas of high deprivation and from ethnic minority groups. The report, based on pilots delivered in 27 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) across England, demonstrates how…
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Do you see me? Why experience matters and must be at the heart of service improvement
Blog article
In this new blog post Susie Beresford, Senior Project Manager, celebrates Learning Disability Week (16 – 20 June 2025) and reflects on the theme “Do you see me?” in connection to the South West Learning Disability Collaborative. As Learning Disability Week 2025 begins, it feels like the perfect time to reflect on the progress we’ve…
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Evaluation highlights potential of digital breastfeeding support tool in NHS pilot
News
A recent real-world evaluation with NHS teams in Gloucestershire has found an app developed in the West Country is a promising digital tool for providing breastfeeding support. Despite evidence that breastfeeding benefits both babies and their mothers, the rates of breastfeeding in western countries like the UK have been low. Smartphone apps are increasingly being…
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