Service Innovations
TrusTECH recognises that not all innovations benefit from commercialisation. It is sometimes more appropriate to share innovations freely within the NHS and, with this in mind TrusTECH developed the Service Innovation scheme. The TrusTECH Service Innovation Scheme, set up in 2005, raises awareness of service innovation and encourages NHS staff to review and modify procedures.
To be eligible for support through the Service Innovation Scheme, the service must be fully implemented within the host Trust and there must be identifiable benefits associated with the service.
NHS employees, who have developed and implemented an innovative service within their Trust, can apply for support through the Service Innovation Scheme by completing and submitting the Service Innovation Notification Form to the TrusTECH Service Innovation Manager.
Click here to download the Service Innovation Notification Form (pdf 292kb).
Click here to download guidance notes for completing the form (pdf 35kb).
Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.
On receipt of the notification form, the service undergoes initial assessment against the following criteria:
- Improvements to patient care
- National priority area
- Transferability
- Benefits for staff
- Timescale for results
- Cost savings/efficiencies
- Sustainability
If a service is positively assessed against the criteria the second stage of the assessment takes place. This involves obtaining expert opinions on the service from individuals working within the field both regionally and nationally. In addition, TrusTECH conducts research to assess the novelty of the service by searching for similar services within the NHS.
Following second-stage assessment a report is sent to the service innovator. The outcome detailed in the report may be that:
- The service is an innovation and appears to be the only one of its kind within the UK and, therefore, can be promoted as a service innovation.
- The service is a good example of a service development. It may have been adopted in a small number of NHS Trusts around the country, but has not been adopted on a wide scale and therefore can be promoted as a service development.
- The service has been adopted on a wide scale within the NHS and, therefore, is not appropriate for promotion as a service innovation or service development by TrusTECH .
If the service falls into either of the first two categories, information about the service is included in the TrusTECH Service Innovation Bulletin. This bulletin is sent to each Trust in the North West (e.g. to service leaders and clinicians). Trusts interested in finding out more about a service listed in the bulletin are asked to contact the TrusTECH Service Innovation Manager to request a more detailed service summary.
TrusTECH can also offer further assistance to those Trusts wishing to adopt a service listed in the bulletin through the Service Innovation Bursary. Services promoted through the Service Innovation Scheme may also be eligible for assistance through the Service Innovation Bursary. A bursary may be used either to aid the dissemination of the service innovation or help with the adoption of a service by another NHS Trust (e.g. to run a workshop for interested Trusts, to assist the project management of the service implementation within another Trust, or to produce service implementation manuals).
TrusTECH maintains a record of the enquiries received and levels of adoption for each service and gives recognition to the most successful service innovators (e.g. through the TrusTECH newsletter and website).