World Health Day (7 April) is an opportunity to leverage and inspire NHS Scotland workforce expertise that can help to ensure high quality healthcare for all, says InnoScot Health

Organised by the World Health Organization (WHO), the theme of this year’s awareness day is ‘My Health, my right’ – and formal NHS partner InnoScot Health fully supports its message of equitable access to quality health services being a fundamental human right.

“We believe that key World Health Day aims such as patients’ rights to make decisions about their own healthcare, improving environmental conditions, hand in hand with better education, can be achieved by empowering NHS staff to realise forward-thinking change through their own know-how,” says InnoScot Health’s Executive Chair, Graham Watson.

“Scotland is fortunate to have access to free universal healthcare, but World Health Day provides an opportunity to spotlight where we can do more for the benefit of our NHS and the wider environment.”

According to WHO, the global burning of fossil fuels is “driving the climate crisis and taking away our right to breathe clean air, with indoor and outdoor air pollution claiming a life every 5 seconds.”

InnoScot Health insists that innovation is a vital facilitator of improvement in health, but also environmentally, and encouraging talented NHS Scotland staff to come forward with innovative ideas is an enabler of positive change.

Mr Watson continued: “The expertise, experience, and entrepreneurism of the 160,000-strong workforce means they are best placed to spot opportunities for fresh innovation and for helping to break down barriers where they may yet linger.

“However, the workforce also needs support to achieve its innovation ambitions at this pivotal time of recovery and transformation if NHS Scotland is to successfully instil meaningful, inclusive change.

“With the right help and encouragement, extending that mindset into truly entrepreneurial thinking can be the next logical step.”

To aid them, InnoScot Health currently has innovation calls focused on seeking out pregnancy and perinatal solutions, as well as sustainable breakthroughs to help NHS Scotland’s aim of being a net-zero health service by 2040.

Both aim to inspire staff to turn ideas into action with an InnoScot Health package which includes support up to the value of £25k for initial seed funding, regulatory support, project management, and the extensive innovation expertise of its highly experienced team.

Progressive-minded NHS workers may consider ideas that leverage FemTech for neonates needing specialist care; devices for managing and monitoring pregnancy; and methods of predicting complications before they happen and targeted treatments if they do arise.

Equally, they could look at innovations fitting the green and sustainable theme which may range from multiplex, or lower carbon devices, to new greener packaging methods which can be composted or recycled rather than sent to landfill.

Head of Innovation at InnoScot Health, Robert Rea said: “World Health Day will seek to bridge the health gap for women and engender better backing for female entrepreneurs.

“It will also raise awareness of how people, businesses and organisations can adapt to a low carbon lifestyle.

“Health and environment are inextricably linked and the team at InnoScot Health are committed to supporting the health and social care workforce.”