Since the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSN) were first established in 2013, excellent progress has been made to achieve our collective goal to improve health and generate economic growth across the country.
In the East Midlands, we’re proud to have developed long and lasting relationships with our local health and care partners. We have worked with these partners to deliver programmes and innovations which answer national health and care priorities. In addition, we have collaborated with them to develop potential new programmes that fit with local health and care challenges through our Innovation Exchange process. We have also worked with numerous of commercial and NHS innovators and supported them to test, develop and spread their innovative health and care solutions within the system, using our unique position to bridge the gap between industry and the NHS.
We are immensely proud of our sustained impacts over the last six years. However, we know we need to maintain this momentum and build on our achievements to address the health challenges that we know are still faced in the region and nationally. Our collective focus will be driven by the national agenda, indicated in the NHS Long Term Plan which demonstrates specific areas of focus such as ‘making sure everyone gets the best start in life’ focusing on the NHS’ commitment to support for expectant mothers and children and further its services for young people’s mental health. Having such clear national health objectives puts us in good stead to continue to shape our provision and hone our strategy as a network to import and export proven innovations into different regions.
As one of 15 AHSNs around the country, we benefit from our collaborative efforts and nationwide scale, but we are also spread and positioned to ensure that local health challenges and priorities are given the correct onus. In late 2017 Public Health England published an evidence-based report titled Health Inequalities in the East Midlands which outlines important themes such as health inequalities, for example people living in the East Midlands have a life expectancy that is lower than the average for England. The report also highlights future considerations, including that by 2039 25% of the region’s population will be aged over 65. Using our understanding and partnership with the local health system, we must continue to concentrate on areas of local need to persist against health inequalities and innovate in order to prepare for the future challenges the region may face.
Looking to the future, following our current Managing Director Mike Hannay’s announcement of leaving the AHSN to undertake an exciting new venture, we are seeking a new Managing Director to lead the organisation and refine our processes and programmes, to help us shape the future of the organisation and amplify our impacts locally and nationally. This is a wonderful, unique and rewarding opportunity for anyone who is passionate about and is willing to take a hands-on approach to shape the health and care system.
For more information about this opportunity visit our web page or apply here.
For more information about our objectives and upcoming plans as an organisation, you can read our latest Business Plan.
Author
Martin Hindle - Independent Chair