Live discussion: How to promote innovation in the NHS

It is a popularly held view that the NHS is resistant to innovation. Despite several laws and policy directives and many successful examples of innovative approaches resulting over the years, the NHS is still seen to a late adopter of innovation - inventive but not creative.

All next week, HSJ is celebrating innovation: from launching our inaugural list of top 50 innovators in the healthcare and featuring some of their key leanings to exploring what can be done to make NHS innovation friendly.

According to research estimates, it still takes an estimated average of 17 years for new scientific discoveries to enter day-to-day clinical practice; and even then, only 14 per cent of discoveries progress to that point.

Some even question the health service’s commitment to innovation, and stories such as NHS England scrapping its innovation fund to focus on its “core business” certainly don’t help.

On the other hand, some people argue that innovation in the current climate is more about technology/IT companies trying to create solutions that are driven by financial considerations than the real needs of the patients (and the commissioners).

So what can be done to foster a culture of innovation in the NHS and the wider healthcare system in the UK? How can we align it with the ever increasing demographic and financial challenges and make them actually deliver? Do we need a culture where disruption and failure are encouraged, and can the private sector help us? Or should we emulate the practice examples of other countries, without tampering the core values of the NHS?

The discussion will take place in the comments section below at 12.30pm-1.30pm on Wednesday 6 November. You can post your questions and comments before the discussion. If you want your question to be answered by a specific panel member, please address it to them.