Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson writes

Suddenly we find ourselves once more at the crossroads which every festive season presents — looking back, wondering how 12 months have passed, and forward to what a new year might hold.

A period of reflection, celebration, and anticipation all at once.

For some, it may be a chance to reflect on a job well done despite the hurdles that life often puts in the way. For others, it might be a chance to draw breath before mustering new resolve in the face of overwhelming challenges. The battle rarely has a full stop.

Scottish health and social care also finds itself at something of a crossroads amid so much transformation, much of which is yet to fully take shape.

In that sense, there have been some great achievements over the last 12 months which the country can rightly be proud of, but there remains much work to be done in the innovation space and beyond.

In 2026, NHS Scotland must undoubtedly look to leverage all support available to it, whether that be through government funding, or with the help of its many partners drawn from the wider health and social care ecosystem.

InnoScot Health is proud to be one of those partners encouraging and inspiring innovation, which we consider vital to prospects and for ushering in a new era of benefits – for better patient outcomes, improved efficiency in working practices, and cost savings, to name just a few. As an organisation, we remain an open door, not just to NHS innovators with great ideas, but also to industry, academia, and others who are keen to work together and mirror our enthusiasm.

Scotland’s progressive thirst for innovation has never been clearer and InnoScot Health is championing that drive with its uniquely dynamic support for identifying and turning ideas into reality at the centre of an ever-evolving environment.

Our diverse skillset has been honed over 23 years — from deep knowledge that informs idea evaluation and intellectual property protection, to expertise in medical device regulation, development, and commercialisation.

InnoScot Health believes that innovation is not something that flourishes in isolation. It is a multi-faceted enterprise with often many parties involved in sharing a collaborative vision for improvement. That means collectively accelerating a healthier Scotland and a more prosperous society.

While there has been a national period of transition in terms of fully delivering the innovation-driven health and social care which Scotland needs, 2026 must be the time to shift gears and take advantage of the potential which we know is there.

After all, if we do not have a health service that is fully joined up and using the same digitally led systems, then we have little common structure for progression. That must be our foundation – and it is one from which so much innovation and collaboration can spring.

While the Scottish Budget will not arrive until 13 January — allowing the Scottish Government time to assess the implications of the UK Government's autumn budget arriving later than usual — the last budget saw record funding of £21.7 billion allocated to health and social care.

It is no less of a priority now with areas of scrutiny for 2026-27 including consideration around the level of investment in preventative approaches to health and social care, as well as the ongoing need to address waiting time backlogs and community-based support.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said that “supporting the NHS” will be a cornerstone target for the Scottish budget, though “difficult choices will be required” across the board.

Yes, challenges will linger, but extra funding provided across this year — £135.5 million in total aimed at expanding clinical capacity, increasing appointments, and tackling backlogs — has helped to provide a platform for the health and social care system to focus on reform and innovation.

Regardless of what the budget entails in January, we must work across organisational boundaries to deliver the best possible care with ongoing public sector investment in innovation required to get there.

Looking back, much has been delivered by InnoScot Health this year, including its support helping to catalyse Cozy Cuddle Scrubs (by Stacey)™ — an innovation which encourages skin-to-skin contact for newborns. It commanded headlines across the world and is set for even greater things in 2026.

A spinout of InnoScot Health, CardioPrecision — a world leader in transcervical access for the treatment of structural heart disease – was also supported in its global ambitions, successfully extending its robotic-assisted procedure to patients with the use of its CoreVista^® Robot Enabling Platform via a groundbreaking stateside link-up.

Essentially, the company’s hard work is paying off with the first clinical cases of robotic aortic valve replacement (AVR) executed through a tiny incision in the neck, meaning minimally invasive surgery, so significantly less pain and quicker recovery times.

We expect even more developments from CardioPrecision next year, not to mention from another of our spinouts, Aurum Biosciences which will be further developing its breakthrough stroke technology ABL-101 which could save lives and lead to better outcomes for stroke survivors around the world.

Applications for ABL-101 are also being explored in other high need clinical areas including cardiology, oncology, inflammatory conditions, and neurodegenerative diseases.

InnoScot Health’s educational webinar series has benefitted health and social care innovators throughout 2025, providing a platform for engaging guests to speak on a range of topics while allowing our team to share its own insights and signpost attendees to our supportive resources.

We have also seen Scotland’s talent empowered through our continuing proud role in the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) which encourages and supports staff to balance work commitments with developing and scaling fresh ideas.

InnoScot Health is also empowering itself through an ongoing process of transition, meaning NHS Boards and Regional Innovation Hubs can access our advice, expertise, and support in new ways.

Our focus remains firmly on working with all partners to ensure a healthier, more progressive, and ambitious Scotland.

InnoScot Health wishes you a collaborative Christmas and an expansive new year.