How Academic Health Science Networks are Improving Healthcare

Last year the UK Government identified Life Sciences and healthcare as important industries for both increasing the quality of patient care in the NHS and generating economic growth.

The Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) provide the opportunity to combine clinical research, informatics, innovation, training and education and healthcare delivery with a goal to improve patient health outcomes, by building alliances, exchanging networks and adopting new innovations. Delivering a change in the way the NHS identifies, develops and adopts new technologies.

The NHS has huge potential to be both creative and innovative. Academic Health Science Networks priority is to speed up this process, to improve patient and healthcare workers lives, save money and support economic growth of the industry.

AHSNs link different parts of the healthcare system together, ensuring that a range of aspects to improve health outcomes are considered. The Academic Health and Science Networks are in the unique position of being the only bodies connecting the NHS to the local authorities and organisations in the industry, becoming the catalysts to facilitate the desired changes across the health and social care economies and allowing innovation to proceed at a pace and scale that is better suited for large populations.

Each of the networks develop initiatives within its own area, reflecting the diversity of local populations. However, all of the AHSNs share the same core principles:

• Promoting economic growth
• Diffusing innovation
• Improving patient safety
• Optimising medicine use
• Improving quality and reducing variation
• Putting research into practice
• Collaborating on national programmes

And the same core objectives:

• Focus on the needs of patients and local populations
• Build a culture of partnership and collaboration
• Speed up adoption of innovation into practice to improve clinical outcomes and patient experience
• Create wealth through co-development, testing, evaluation and early adoption and spread of new products and services

As the AHSN network impact 2017 report demonstrates, they are already making a difference for patients and the public, for innovators, for clinicians and for the healthcare system.