Public Health Scotland is marking National Innovation Week by launching a new five-year ‘roadmap’ to help embed innovation across health and care services and research.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) says, with ‘significant and growing pressures’ facing Scotland's health and social care system, embracing innovation can help improve health and reduce inequalities across Scotland.

Seeking to foster the collaboration across sectors and systems it says is needed to tackle the scale and complexity of Scotland’s health and care crisis, PHS has outlined an Innovation Framework to bring ‘tangible improvements to people’s lives’.

The framework has two core pillars: a focus on prevention as a key part of improving health outcomes and building supporting the workforce to engage with and deliver innovation.

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, the Scottish government’s Chief Scientist for Health welcomed the strategy, saying she looks forward to seeing its impact across research, policy and practice:

“Scientific innovation is vital to improving public health and tackling the deep-rooted inequalities that affect communities across Scotland.

“The launch of Public Health Scotland’s Innovation Framework marks an important step in embedding evidence-led, forward-thinking approaches into our health system.

“By fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration and continuous learning, we can unlock new solutions that support healthier lives and a fairer society.”

This comes two years after a majority of surveyed NHS staff said innovation must be at the ‘heart of improving NHS Scotland services’.

Thinking ahead

In the framework, PHS says that within the current health and social care system, there is a tendency towards ‘more reactive, short-term responses’ with resources being targeted towards immediate pressures.

It says to address the rising burden of disease across Scotland, prioritising preventative action and investing in tackling the root causes of population health challenges must be a priority.

The framework aims to not only improve population health and wellbeing and enhance public health, but also support the development of a sustainable and resilient healthcare system.

The three main outcomes the framework seeks to support are to reduce inequalities, shape evidence-led public health solutions, and enhance the health and social care system-wide capacity for delivery impactful solutions.

Paul Johnston, PHS Chief Executive, said the “ambitious” collaboration on health equity which brings together experts, three local authorities and the PHS team is a powerful example in practice, adding:

“Innovation is central to the work we do at PHS – it’s a driving force for whole-system reform. 

“We invite partners across Scotland’s public, private and third sectors to collaborate with us in designing, testing, and scaling innovations that deliver meaningful impact and lasting change. 

“Our Innovation Framework aligns closely with Scottish government’s Population Health Framework, sharing its vision of increasing life expectancy and reducing health inequalities.

“By embracing new approaches to prevention, equity and system transformation, we can address the root causes of Scotland’s poor population health.”  

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