Championing innovation
How clinical leaders can champion innovation
Clinical leaders across the NHS play a crucial role in ensuring patients have timely and equitable access to the latest treatments.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) publishes dozens of technology appraisals each year, offering guidance on new medicines that can transform services and patient care.
But, despite progress in some areas, the uptake of these medicines across the NHS is variable.
We recognise the immense pressures NHS teams face in busy, constrained and financially challenged systems. However, these innovations represent opportunities to transform patient care. Clinical leaders in NHS organisations, networks, and communities can be a powerful voice for patients and for innovation in the NHS.
We invite clinical leaders to:
- champion innovation: support the adoption of new medicines (and champion the use of biosimilar medicines where these are available). Consider reviewing and discussing the latest national or NICE guidance and guidelines with teams and help colleagues to understand how this can impact their service delivery. Look at the benefits to patients even when adoption is challenging
- collaborate: look for ways to work with other teams and organisations, combining different skills and resources to find improvements and put proven solutions into action
- share learning: make the most of opportunities to learn from each other and share experiences across communities of practice. Celebrate and promote examples of early adoption
- educate: provide opportunities to learn about new NICE-approved treatments and their implementation in care pathways
A clinical leader championing innovation
Edward Morris, CBE, Regional Medical Director, East of England, NHS England
“Having researched many new drugs and overseen the production of guidelines, I am aware of the challenges of bringing new NICE guidance to clinicians and patients, but also aware of the rewards of getting it right.
“As a medical leader within the NHS, I am privileged to work alongside teams charged with dissemination and incorporation of guidance into clinical pathways. I see my role as ensuring that great developments and ideas don’t get missed and to help connect people for a cascade of knowledge!
“Some may question why the NHS supports the adoption of new medicines when industry could take the lead. I feel that, as one of the largest health systems, the NHS is well placed to support health innovation, backed by staff driven by the common aim of providing the best care and improving access to new medicines and therapies as soon as they are available”.
An innovative project led by clinical leaders
At Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, clinical leadership was crucial in driving the adoption of PCSK9 inhibitors, a valuable but underutilised treatment recommended by NICE for optimising lipid management.
Leaders from cardiology, pharmacy, and lipidology collaborated to develop an innovative service for the initiation and management of PCSK9 inhibitors in eligible patients. This service adopts a tailored, person-centred approach, focusing on patient support, education, and monitoring.
As a result, the clinic was able to enhance adherence, reduce medication waste, and improve lipid management. More information about the project and its findings is available on the British Medical Journal’s website.
Useful resources
Education and development
- NHS Leadership Academy offers a range of resources and programmes to support individuals, organisations and local academies to develop leaders.
- The King’s Fund’s clinical leadership courses include emerging Clinical Leaders Programme, Clinical Directors and Lead Clinicians Leadership Programme and Strategic Clinical Leaders Programme.
- NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme is a free entrepreneurial workforce development programme aimed at NHS staff and healthcare professionals to help develop innovative ideas into products and businesses that benefit NHS patients.
- The Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management is UK’s largest community of clinical leaders.
Toolkit
- Specialist Pharmacy Service annual prescribing outlook offers support for annual planning, implementation and budgeting for medicines.
NICE resources
- Horizon scanning on NICE website and new NICE guidelines lists NICE guidance that is awaiting development, currently in development, and already published.
- Resource impact of NICE guidance estimates the costs or savings associated with technologies and provides guidelines to help planning and implementation.
- Clinical knowledge summaries provide primary care practitioners with a readily accessible summary of current evidence and practical advice on best practice.
Other information
- The Bevan Commission clinical influencers equips clinicians with the skills and knowledge to inspire and motivate others to transform the way they work.
- The Health Foundation: strengthening clinical leadership and management article on how strengthening clinical leadership and management can help the NHS improve quality outcomes, operational productivity, and efficiency.