Health Innovation Fund

Our ground-breaking approach to improving health in Lambeth and Southwark, 2011-2017

We have a long history of backing people and organisations with new ideas to transform health in our area. Our Health Innovation Fund ran from 2011-17 and supported many successful projects.

Backing new approaches and learning from it

Through the fund we backed projects that have improved the health of the local population and those who use the local healthcare facilities, created integrated world class cancer care and instigated system-wide transformation of healthcare.

Analysing nearly 80 projects (£15.6 million) we backed through the fund, we learned that 65% achieved or exceeded their goals, 48% had strong plans for sustainability and 46% said they learned important lessons

 

Driving lasting change

Some of the key things achieved through our Health Innovation Fund include:

  • Modernising and improving the diagnosis and care for diabetes in our boroughs
  • Creating a brand new Cancer Centre at Guy’s Hospital to treat 6,500 patients per year and deliver 80,000 radiotherapy treatments - almost 70% more than before
  • Championing new entrepreneurs to improve the health of children through an innovative programme with Design Council and our two local authorities
  • Introducing in-house 3D printing at St Thomas’, which resulted in the world’s first use of the technology to transplant a kidney from an adult to a child
  • Breaking new ground in arts in health through innovative programmes using dance in psychosis and introducing magic as a tool to improve mobility


Following our work through the Health Innovation Fund, we have introduced a programmatic approach to tackling major health issues in Lambeth and Southwark.

 

Key projects we supported through the Health Innovation: