In the run-up to the NHS 70th birthday celebrations on Thursday 5 July, the AHSN Network is teaming up with NHS Digital to showcase some of the latest healthcare innovations via an online calendar. Behind every door is an innovation that showcases some of the latest healthcare innovations that are making a positive difference to patients, carers, staff and NHS organisations.

Starting on Thursday 25 April, the #NHS70Innovations campaign will shine a spotlight on the diverse range of innovations both existing and coming into the NHS, with a new innovation revealed every day.

Explore the countdown calendar at www.nhs70innovations.org.uk and follow the #NHS70Innovations hashtag on social media.

The innovations featured on the calendar include new technologies and devices, as well as innovative new ways of working and service improvements.

Kick-starting the campaign is EMAHSN supported project Silhouette which is transforming care for patients with diabetic foot ulcers with a special 3D camera. Other projects born in the East Midlands to be included are:

• ChatHealth - a safe and secure text messaging service that helps young people contact healthcare professionals
• OptiMed- ID - robotic technology delivering individual doses of medication - reducing medicines waste and improving patient safety

Most of these advances have been developed with the support of Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), including many that are part of our SBRI Healthcare and NHS Innovation Accelerator programmes. The remainder have been developed or supported by NHS Digital, as part of their role as the national information and delivery partner to the NHS.

Noel Gordon, chair of NHS Digital said: “The NHS’s creation 70 years ago was a giant step not only for Britain but in the post war development of healthcare internationally. The NHS’s founding ambition, its big and brave idea—a comprehensive healthcare system, available to all, that is based on clinical need not ability to pay—continues to inspire and drive improvements in healthcare today.

“NHS Digital has a pivotal role to play in catalysing innovations that will make a difference to the safety, quality and relevance of digital services we all provide for the health and care system.

“The #NHS70innovations campaign is a great showcase for our inspirational clinical entrepreneurs, our vibrant small and medium NHS enterprises and the enthusiasm of patients and clinicians to adopt the best of our new, digital technologies.”

Mike Hannay, chair of the AHSN Network, said: “From its earliest days, the NHS has been at the forefront of medical advances to support diagnosis, treatment and care, and the AHSN Network is proud to support this work into the next 70 years.

“Many of the new healthcare innovations we’ve helped to develop are already being used to benefit both patients and NHS staff. England’s 15 AHSNs collaborate with industry, researchers, academia and NHS organisations to find the very best new solutions that meet real needs, and our role is then to help spread these across the health service.

“Through the #NHS70Innovations campaign we are celebrating these innovations that are already having an impact both locally and nationally, empowering people to take more control of their own wellbeing and freeing up valuable clinician time to focus more on providing patient care.”

Find out more about the AHSN Network at www.ahsnnetwork.com and NHS Digital at https://digital.nhs.uk/