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A new guide to innovation implementation, readiness and resourcing was recently published sharing practical learning from the Health Innovation Network’s successful adoption and spread of the national Focus ADHD programme.

Despite the impact of the pandemic on non-emergency services the three-year ADHD programme exceeded its targets and by June 2023 had benefited 65,000 young people.

The new guide collates the critical success factors, focusing on five core areas that should be considered for any transformation programme to be successfully implemented and sustained. These are:

• Understanding the context
• Raising awareness
• Building will
• Supporting implementation
• Changing behaviour

The guide can be adapted to any innovation programme – large or small - and includes example toolkits and resources for project leads.

Highlights from the document were the topic of a recent Innovation Insights webinar run by Health Innovation East Midlands (HIEM), who led the Focus ADHD programme on behalf of the 15 local Health Innovation Networks (formerly AHSNs).  The slides and recording can be accessed on demand.

The Focus ADHD programme started in 2017 as a Real-World Evaluation in the East Midlands in three ADHD services, before being commissioned by the NHS (via the Accelerated Access Collaborative) for national roll out across England between 2020 and 2023, coordinated by the 15 local health innovation networks.

During this period, Health Innovation Networks supported NHS services across the country to make changes to the way in which they diagnosed ADHD in young people. By the end of June 2023, the three-year programme had positively benefitted around 65,000 patients in England across 149 NHS sites.

Health Innovation East Midlands, Managing Director, Nicole McGlennon said:

“Health Innovation Networks have built up a vast amount of experience in supporting innovators and health and care systems to identify, develop, adopt and spread innovation.

“This guide brings together our adoption and spread experience and, using Focus ADHD as an example, it provides practical resources to help others.

“Focus ADHD drew on our skills across the organisation in terms of commissioning evaluation, data analysis, programme management, partnership working, engagement and involvement."

• Download the guide 
• Access a recording of a webinar summarising the guide, and the slides

If you would like support for your innovation programme, please contact info@healthinnovationnwc.nhs.uk