InnoScot Health teams up with NHS Ayrshire & Arran to seek out health and social care innovators

An exciting innovation competition has launched with the aim of inspiring the workforce of NHS Ayrshire & Arran to improve patient care. 

The contest, which commenced on August 28th, is open to all staff members – in any role and from any department – with some fantastic prizes on offer from formal NHS partner InnoScot Health. All ideas are welcomed, whether simple or complex. 

It is hoped the competition will stimulate innovative thinking and progressive problem solving while laying a platform for fresh economic opportunities for Ayrshire and Arran. 

Staff will be asked to consider submitting innovative ideas that will align to the Caring for Ayrshire vision of providing care more locally, promoting self-management, preventing or assisting with early interventions, and/or developing ideas to collaborate with community services.  

The first 100 competition applicants will receive a £10 Shop Local voucher. Three finalists will then be chosen, with the overall winner receiving an Apple iPad and two runner-up prizes of DAB radios. 

Eligible participants are invited to submit a description of the area they plan to tackle and their innovative solution to it by using visiting the competition website once the competition is underway. 

Karen Bell, Head of Research, Development and Innovation Champion, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, said: "We are proud to promote and support this InnoScot Health initiative which encourages our staff to think about innovation. 

We look forward to seeing how staff express their ideas about how our health and care system could be improved upon. 

“They know better than anyone where innovative changes could help deliver better outcomes for our community and what these products or services need to look like. We look forward to assessing the ideas that come from our talented, knowledgeable staff and wish them luck with their submissions. 

“It’s important to remember that fresh ideas come in many forms – they don’t have to be complex, they just have to make a difference.” 

Frances Ramsay, Innovation Manager at InnoScot Health, said: “Partnering on this fantastic project offers so many benefits for all involved – foremost being the health and care needs of Ayrshire and Arran’s population. 

“It’s undoubtedly a diverse region with unique health and care requirements that necessitate specialised solutions. 

“That’s where the local NHS workforce comes in, offering knowledge and insight that no one else can. The great thing is that absolutely anyone can be an innovator with the right help and advice.” 

“The InnoScot Health team is on hand to support with over 20 years’ experience in assessing, protecting, developing, and commercialising successful projects, potentially then generating an income stream for NHS Ayrshire & Arran.”