The NHS Insights Prioritisation Programme (NIPP) was launched in 2021 to contribute to the recovery from COVID-19, build resilience and deliver benefits to patients.
The programme invited local health innovation networks (HINs) and National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaborations (NIHR ARCs) to bid for a share of £4.2m investment to test and evaluate promising innovation within their Integrated Care Systems (ICSs).
ARC South London and the Health Innovation Network South London received NIPP funding for a project to evaluate and implement the Healthy Eating & Active Lifestyles for Diabetes (HEAL-D) online programme, which helps people from African and Caribbean heritage living with type 2 diabetes to improve their health and quality of life.
The team worked with a pilot site in Manchester and spoke to commissioners and service providers outside London to understand how to support the implementation of HEAL-D in other areas.
HINs and the NIHR ARCs teamed up for 14 projects across the country, benefitting from each other’s unique skills and links with system partners.
The partnerships tested and evaluated innovative approaches within their local Integrated Care Systems (ICSs). Each project focused on four priority areas:
Examples of the projects included the evaluation of Community Assessment Treatment Units for frail patients, evaluating the impact of a video intervention to reduce opioid prescribing, and preparing a culturally tailored online diabetes self-management programme for evaluation and scale.
The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a disruptor and accelerator of innovation. By demonstrating its resilience and ability to make changes rapidly, the NHS has been able to learn from the pandemic and future-proof services.
The NHS Insights Prioritisation Programme has provided a rapid analysis of some of the most promising health and care innovations across the country in real-world settings. These findings and recommendations will help Integrated Care Systems understand how they might implement these new approaches in their local system
An independent evaluation of the programme concluded that NIPP had been successful in facilitating a structured approach for the funding and acceleration of innovations and interventions, building on previous initiatives, such as the NHS Beneficial Changes Network.
It also noted that the programme had cemented existing relationships between health innovation networks and NIHR ARCs, which may lead to more joint working in future.
The collaboration between the health innovation networks and the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations has enabled us to deliver practical insights that address changing health and care needs post-pandemic. We hope this learning will help health and care teams, and benefit our communities.