Overview
Innovation is the process of introducing new ideas, methods, or products to improve existing systems or address unmet needs. This unit was developed and will be run by the Dorset ICB centralised innovation service team in
partnership with HSU, who co-deliver the content throughout the unit. The 6-day course is designed for people working in health and care settings in roles involved in innovation and improvement. It builds and develops on the
concepts and principles introduced within the Fundamentals of Innovation Adoption training.
Course Details
Innovation is about doing things differently or doing new things to make positive change. Innovation is critical to enabling the NHS to deliver better outcomes for patients and therefore is everyone’s business. This unit is designed for people working in health and care settings in a role that supports innovation and improvement. The unit will provide an opportunity to work through and develop your project ideas, using various approaches and frameworks which can be applied to innovation initiatives. The unit will be structured based upon the processes of planning, implementation and evaluation. Sustainability of innovation will be central to the unit, exploring the conditions for sustainability alongside essential decision making around stop or spread of innovation.
This unit will be delivered through blended learning, with both time in the classroom and online with both synchronous and asynchronous delivery of content. You will undertake group work, peer-assessed student presentations and self-directed learning. Lectures and seminars and group work will provide the theoretical and research-based information and guidance to facilitate learning and professional development. Pre-recorded videos for topics and overview lectures, with learning consolidated by self-directed resources and VLE activities, synchronous small group discussion seminars and/or asynchronous online discussions on Teams and/or face-to-face.
As a unique Health Sciences University, HSU has developed a wide range of educational opportunities for health and care professionals. The Dorset Innovation Hub is one of 4 designated Health Foundation Innovation Hubs in the United Kingdom. The innovation hub is hosted by NHS Dorset ICB as a centralised service, and is overseen by a programme group of 13 partners: primary, community secondary and social care, academia, innovation, research, economy, industry and with patient and public involvement and engagement.
How This Course Is Taught
How This Course Is Taught 
This course is structured around the key areas of innovation. This will include:
- Introduction and identification – what is innovation, need for innovation, culture of change
- Planning for innovation – stakeholder engagement, business cases, project management, patient and public engagement
- Implementation – complexity, behaviour change, implementation plans, sustainability
- Evaluation – evaluation methods and data collection, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, governance of evaluation, dissemination strategies
- Sustainability – assessment of innovations, examining conditions of sustainability, and transitioning innovations to “business as usual”
By the end of this course, you will gain a deep understanding of the innovation process and develop practical skills in planning, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining innovations within a dynamic and complex environment.
Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements 
This unit is designed for individuals working across the health and social care sector, who are involved in improvement and innovation projects. Ideally you will have a first degree however we consider an equivalency and your experience.