NICE and the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) are working together in a new partnership to help embed evidence-based healthcare innovations into the NHS.
The two-year agreement aims to improve the lives of patients through this new initiative. It outlines the key areas that the project will focus on, such as addressing market challenges for digital innovation, shaping, and generating real world evidence.
The collaboration will involve expert teams from NICE and the AHSN Network meeting regularly throughout the year to develop a programme of work to deliver these priorities.
Professor Gillian Leng, NICE Chief Executive, said: “By working together more closely we can increase the speed at which innovative new medicines and technologies recommended by NICE can be cascaded through the healthcare system. Our work with the AHSN Network will also ensure we are helping to produce the vital real-world evidence needed to guide the development of NICE recommendations.
“One of the key priorities of our new 5-year strategy is to increase the uptake and use of NICE recommendations across the healthcare system to maximise the impact of our work and ensure everyone has access to the latest innovations. We can best achieve this by working strategically with our key partners such as the AHSN Network, and we’re delighted to announce this new collaboration between our organisations.”
Professor Gary Ford, Chair of the AHSN Network, Chief Executive of Oxford AHSN, and Non-executive Director for NICE, said: “This agreement builds on the successes of our past collaborative working, and will help us further our work to ensure patients have access to the latest evidence-based technologies, advice and guidance.
“NICE and the Network share a common goal to accelerate the rate of adoption and spread of evidence-based practice and innovation within the NHS, and by working together we can use our combined expertise and experience to improve health at pace and scale.”
In 2013, the 15 regional AHSNs were established as the AHSN Network, with their focus being to accelerate the uptake of well-evidenced innovation in the NHS in England.
The two organisations previously worked together to support and accelerate the rate of adoption and spread of evidence-based innovation in the NHS. This collaboration is expected to bring together the expertise and resources of both organisations to deliver these improvements more effectively.
Richard Stubbs, Vice Chair of the AHSN Network, and Chief Executive of Yorkshire & Humber AHSN, said: “As a Network our aim is to transform lives through innovation. The role NICE plays in evidence generation and health and care excellence makes them an ideal partner for us to collaborate and work more closely with to support the spread and adoption of innovative solutions that meet the needs of patients and the health and care system.”
