A new report published today reveals England’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks benefited more than 480,000 patients and generated £455 million of investment for the UK economy in the 12 months from April 2021 to March 2022.
The AHSN Network Impact Report for 2021/22 summarises work undertaken by AHSNs on national initiatives and other areas of work including innovation programmes commissioned by NHS England/Improvement to improve ADHD diagnosis for children; increase early intervention for those with eating disorders; enhance the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease; and transform asthma care pathways.
Collectively these benefited more than 480,000 people.
AHSNs have contributed to improved patient experience and better outcomes, working with health and care organisations across the country to adopt innovation. AHSNs are uniquely placed to collaborate across all sectors with a role in health innovation, transformation and improvement. This includes working with health and care innovators to discover, develop and deploy innovations that answer NHS and social care challenges and priorities.
In 2021-22, AHSNs supported 2,438 companies with innovative health and care products and solutions, leveraged £455 million of investment, and created or protected more than 1,800 jobs.
AHSNs host England’s 15 Patient Safety Collaboratives (PSCs). Commissioned by NHS England/Improvement, they are vital delivery agents of the National Patient Safety Improvement Programmes. With a focus on quality improvement and culture, the PSCs enhance patient safety by supporting staff to learn and continue to improve. Over the last year, the PSCs’ focus has been managing deterioration in care homes; maternal and neonatal safety; mental health safety; medicines safety and systems safety.
Professor Gary Ford, Chair of the AHSN Network and Chief Executive of the Oxford AHSN, said: “2021-22 has been pivotal for the AHSNs and the AHSN Network. While we are still supporting our health and care systems with the recovery from the pandemic, we have undertaken work to set out our vision and strategy and refine our processes to ensure we can meet our collective ambition to transform as many lives as possible through more rapid uptake of high value innovation in health and care.
“I’d like to thank all my colleagues from across the Network and our partners for their continued support this year. We know that team working is key to health system transformation and our achievements are only possible together.”