A note from our Chair

In March 2020, the health and care system embarked on the most challenging year in its history.

Within a matter of days, all 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) realigned resources and refocused our existing work to support the national and regional response to coronavirus (COVID-19). We adapted and channelled our efforts to support the system where the need was the greatest, and used our model of operating as a locally connected, co-ordinated national network to add value at pace and scale during this time.

Our 2020/21 Impact Report demonstrates that as a Network we drive forward results in the most relevant areas to make a real difference for patients and service users, as well as healthcare professionals, innovators and NHS organisations. We use our unique position working across all sectors relevant to health and care and our embedded relationships as a catalyst for the greatest impacts, and this year is a demonstration of how effective that can be.

Even in the face of adversity, the system has made some incredible steps forward to adopt innovation and work even more closely with industry.

Professor Gary Ford
Chair of the AHSN Network and Chief Executive of Oxford AHSN

AHSN Network Impact Report cover

Read the Impact Report PDF. You can see more impact stories on the pages below.

2020/21 impacts

  • Prevention may be the cure, but innovation the best course of treatment

    Dr Cheryl Crocker, interim Chief Operating Officer at the Health Innovation Network, explains the vital role innovation plays to not only reduce waiting lists and improve access to care, but to decrease system pressure by improving people’s health and keeping them well for longer.  The new Government has rightly declared its focus on moving the [...]

  • Meet the innovator: Jez Ellerd-Styles, SiSU Health UK

    Launched in 2014, SiSU Health is scaling early warning, self-service health kiosks, digital platforms and pathways into pre-existing healthcare services. The British Heart Foundation estimates the annual cardiovascular disease (CVD) related costs to the UK healthcare system are around £10 billion, with annual costs to the UK economy of an estimated £25 billion. Making the [...]

  • Meet the innovator: Nick Hartshorne-Evans, The Pumping Marvellous Foundation

    BEAT HF is the first UK-wide disease awareness campaign for heart failure and is targeted at the public and primary care healthcare professionals. Professor Clare Taylor, Nick Hartshorne-Evans, and Dr Dargoi Satchi developed BEAT to improve awareness of heart failure through early recognition of common symptoms. The acronym BEAT leads to testing using a commonly [...]