Andy King

Commissioning and System Management Directorate Branch Head - Innovation

Department of Health

The Innovation Policy Context

Key messages from Andy King for the day

' The effective adoption and systematic diffusion of innovation is a key driver in improving quality whilst unlocking (cash releasing) savings'

• Without Innovation, public services costs tend to rise faster than the rest of the economy. Without Innovation, the inevitable pressure to contain costs can only be met by forcing already stretched staff to work harder.

• Innovation is in part seeking out best practice from elsewhere and successfully applying it locally. Copying is Good!

• Diffusion of Innovation requires organisations to work together with strong support and leadership across the health and social care system.

• Only the systematic uptake of innovation produces transformational change and improvement.

• More of the same won't do: Less of the same won't do: we need to do things differently: we need radical not just incremental Innovation and Improvement.