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NHS Chief Exec at North West Coast Academic Health Science Network

The new Chief Executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens, has visited the recently-established North West Coast Academic Health Science Network (NWC AHSN) to meet its executive team and members of the representative board to learn more about the work that the organisation is doing across the region.

Mr Stevens was given an insight into various aspects of the work that the organisation has been doing since it launched in March, including the projects which it is developing and supporting to drive innovation and improve efficiencies into the health system across Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and South Cumbria.

The organisation is one of 15 academic health science networks in England and works as part of the NHS to enable innovative products to spread quickly and successfully through the health system. A particular area of focus for the network is developing and disseminating digital health solutions in the NHS across the region.

The network also provides strategic advice to businesses with products which would work in the health sector on how to access the market. It works with all parts of the NHS, its healthcare delivery partners and with the academic sector, to accelerate the adoption and spread of innovation and ensure the most advanced treatments, technologies and medicines are available to healthcare service users.

Since his appointment to the post of NHS Chief Executive in April this year, Mr Stevens has placed a strong emphasis on the need for innovation in the NHS - a goal which aligns closely with the work of the NWC AHSN.

Dr Liz Mear, CEO of the NWC AHSN, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Chief Executive and to have the opportunity to give him an overview of the exciting work which we’re doing in the region.

“This is an exciting time for the healthcare service and there is a real commitment to improving and re-energising the NHS. Part of that commitment involves a focus on driving innovation to ensure that the healthcare service continues to evolve and improve and that is an ethos which is central to the work which the NWC AHSN is doing.

“It was great to have the chance to outline the projects that we’re getting involved with and the great potential we see for innovations – especially those in the digital sector – to create novel solutions for some of the challenges the healthcare service is facing.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .