Strengthening local innovation-implementation ecosystems

In 2021, the Health Foundation launched the Adopting Innovation Programme to help people within the NHS become better adopters of innovation through four Innovation Hubs. RAND Europe was commissioned to conduct an independent programme-level evaluation across the four hubs. Data were collected through surveys of each hub and other programme stakeholders (such as partner organisations), a document review of hub progress reports and other programme materials (e.g. applications), and interviews with stakeholders.

Findings showed that hubs established themselves in local healthcare settings, each with existing, complex innovation-implementation ecosystems that, to varying degrees, already supported innovation adoption and spread. Each hub started from a different place but converged towards integrating more closely with local systems and added value in terms of three core functions: (i) providing central coordination of innovation activities; (ii) disseminating information and raising awareness about innovation; (iii) catalysing partnerships by connecting key players involved in innovation activities. The evaluation provided a unique opportunity to observe what happens when a novel catalyst for innovation, in the form of an innovation hub, is introduced into an existing, complex innovation-implementation ecosystem. Key enablers were identified that have practical value for staff within the NHS looking to build or further strengthen local innovation ecosystems that are more conducive to innovation adoption. The core functions (i.e. central coordination, information dissemination, catalysing partnerships) potentially reflect unidentified and/or unarticulated needs that existed prior to their establishment. Future efforts in building or strengthening innovation ecosystems should include these core functions as part of their overall strategy.