From in-person events to Measurable Outcomes

Advancing NHS Innovation Through Partnership

From in-person events to Measurable Outcomes

Between November 2025 and March 2026, Arise Innovation Hub, Medilink Midlands and Innovate UK delivered a three-part event series designed to strengthen collaboration across the health innovation ecosystem. Bringing together innovators, academics, clinicians and industry leaders, the programme aimed to address a critical challenge: how to accelerate the adoption of healthcare innovation within the NHS while fostering meaningful, regionally driven partnerships.

 

Why the Programme Was Delivered

Innovation within healthcare often faces barriers including limited cross-sector engagement, difficulty navigating NHS pathways, and lack of access to clinical insight. The event series was developed to bridge these gaps by creating structured opportunities for knowledge exchange, networking and practical collaboration. Each event was structured around the NHS 10 year plan and focused on a specific theme: digital engagement with the NHS, community-led innovation, and preventative healthcare, ensuring a comprehensive approach to innovation challenges.

The first event, Doing Digital – Empowering Innovators to Engage with the NHS (Chelmsford, November 2025), explored how innovators can better align with NHS priorities. The second, Community – Driving Local Innovation to Meet Regional NHS Needs (Harlow, January 2026), focused on place-based collaboration, while the final event, Perspectives on Preventative Innovations in Healthcare (Cambridge, March 2026), addressed the growing importance of prevention-focused solutions.

 

Delivery and Engagement

Across the three events, more than 170 professionals registered, with strong attendance and participation throughout. Feedback highlighted consistent strengths in speaker quality, networking opportunities and the diversity of organisations represented. Attendees particularly valued the opportunity to build new connections and engage in meaningful discussions about real-world healthcare challenges. 

One participant reflection, shared by Ebun Ojemuyiwa following the Harlow event, reinforced the programme’s key message: “innovation is no longer a ‘nice to have’… it’s one of the defining capabilities of our time if we want better products, services, stronger communities, and sustainable systems.” She further emphasised that “innovation isn’t driven by technology alone. It’s shaped by experienced people choosing where- and how - to apply what they know,” highlighting the critical role of cross-sector expertise and collaboration in delivering meaningful change within the NHS.

The programme successfully created an environment where early-stage innovators could connect directly with clinicians and decision-makers, providing invaluable insight into NHS needs. Sessions such as lightning pitches, targeted workshops and in-depth discussions ensured knowledge sharing and practical application.

 

Key Outcomes and Success Stories

The success of the series is best demonstrated through the tangible collaborations and developments.

  • Advancing innovation readiness: Richard, developer of the Body Volume Index (BVI), used the platform to present his technology, currently under consideration for NHS adoption. A challenging clinical question during the session highlighted the need for deeper preparation around complex patient scenarios. This prompted plans for a focused clinical engagement exercise, including the development of a local expert group to test and refine adoption strategies. This represents a critical step forward in translating a 20-year innovation journey into real-world NHS application.

  • New commercial opportunities: Imran from The Sample Network presented at the final event, leading directly to conversations with a new organisation and the exploration of a joint project opportunity, demonstrating the programme’s effectiveness in catalysing business growth.

  • Academic–industry collaboration: At the Harlow event, ARU academic Sian Shaw was introduced to HomeSense, initiating discussions on the use of their technology within a living lab environment. She also connected with Dr Alice Byram, President of the Digital Health Group at the Royal Society of Medicine, who has invited her to speak to the group from a nursing perspective on digital health. This connection highlights the value of cross-sector engagement in accelerating innovation testing and validation.

  • Strengthened community networks: Feedback from all three events consistently emphasised the value of networking and knowledge exchange, with attendees highlighting the importance of building relationships across academia, healthcare and industry to drive innovation forward. 

 

Impact and Future Direction

The programme demonstrated that bringing together diverse stakeholders in a structured, collaborative environment can generate measurable outcomes. From new partnerships to improved innovation readiness. It also highlighted areas for future development, including deeper topic focus, increased opportunities for discussion, and a stronger emphasis on emerging areas such as AI in healthcare.

 

Conclusion

The Arise, Medilink Midlands and Innovate UK event series has proven to be a powerful catalyst for regional health innovation. By connecting people and creating opportunities, the programme not only facilitated meaningful conversations but also delivered tangible outcomes that continue to evolve beyond the events themselves. As the healthcare landscape continues to change, this collaborative model provides a strong foundation for future innovation programmes, ensuring that ideas are not only shared, but successfully translated into impact within the NHS and beyond.

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