Identifying and spreading innovative practice
We identify and spread proven innovative practice across the health and care system via our national and regional programmes.

Building networks
Sharing knowledge and strengthening collaboration
Providing practical support to our partners
Identifying and spreading innovative practice details
Our practical experience and techniques that support health and care systems to identify, adopt and spread innovative practice to improve health and care services.
As the innovation arm of the NHS we bring together local, regional and national colleagues around innovative practice.
We respond to the wide range of needs of a sector, which continues to operate with COVID-19. Improvement through innovation is playing a critical role, from supporting the adoption of COVID Oximetry @home to supporting the uptake of a pioneering new asthma treatment. Working in partnership means our insight is gathered and shared from those working on the ground: from innovators, midwives applying new approaches to perinatal care, and teams who worked through the Exeter Nightingale Hospital.
We have also developed our popular Spread Academy, which has really helped teams to put their ideas into action, and supported innovators to take their next steps.
Our Priorities
Our priorities for 2021/22 are as follows:
- Support and deliver the adoption and spread of proven innovation.
- Support and enable innovators to build partnerships with the health and care system in the South West through our Innovation Exchange.
- As hosts of the South West Patient Safety Commission, deliver the National Patient Safety Improvement Programme to support and encourage a culture of safety, continuous learning and sustainable improvement.
- Develop a focused portfolio of regional health equity programmes that have the potential to achieve demonstrable improvement through the spread of innovative practice.
- Improve the equity of health and wellbeing outcomes for mothers and for babies through our regional Perinatal programme.
- Support the improvement of mental health of children and young people in our region through our Children and Young People’s Mental Health regional programme.
Relevant Programmes
In my nine years in commissioning, I have not been part of a working group where so many clinical representatives from across the healthcare system have met regularly. This is truly a success."
— DAFFYDD JONES, BOARD MEMBER
THINK NHS 111 FIRST PROGRAMME