Ask our researcher: Fiona Mckenzie on the unexpected drivers of innovation
)
Original Research: Facilitating innovation in healthcare: insights from the front-line of adoption.
A recent study published in BMJ Innovations examined the factors that drive the adoption and scaling of innovation within the NHS. The researchers, based in the United Kingdom, interviewed staff who facilitate innovation, a perspective often missing from existing literature.
The study found that adoption relies on structural and financial enablers — such as protected funding, leadership alignment and streamlined processes — rather than individual factors like 'champions' or training. The paper challenges common assumptions and provides practical insights for improving innovation support in publicly funded healthcare.
The study is part of the NHS InSites Programme, a pilot initiative within the The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP), designed to test and evaluate innovations in real-world NHS settings.