Which doctors take up promising ideas?

Does the word “Innovation” conjure up an image of green Flubber bouncing through space? All very remote from day-to-day practice?

Which doctors take up promising ideas? is not a racy read – yet it offers food for thought. As an “an innovation charity with a mission to help people and organisations bring great ideas to life”, NESTA is keen for general practice to see that adopting innovations – proven drugs, technology, practices and infrastructures to improve or transform services – is simply part of becoming better equipped to tackle the challenges ahead.

Innovation into practice

Surprise, surprise – the most successful innovations are those easiest to implement. Sadly these can turn out to be more peripheral in their impact. On the ground the wider context and existing infrastructure – from patient demographics to IT systems – are incredibly important in determining what a practice is functionally able to adopt. So, the challenge is to overcome the inconveniences involved in bringing into practice those innovations that promise more significant benefits.

From patients to practice managers it seems that lots of people are involved along the way, and each can be a driving force for innovation in a GP practice.

It’s no surprise that, alongside national guidance, GPs rate personal connections as important sources for finding out about innovations. Larger practices are in a better position to explore and introduce innovations. Neighbouring practices consistently have similar rates and patterns of adoption.

Lessons for primary care

• Involve patients: they can be highly effective, encouraging rapid change within their practices
• Champion adoption through local intermediaries
• Support different types of innovations, and all stages of the adoption process

You might also find out about the role of Oxford Academic Health Science Network in spreading innovation.