Scotland’s national public health organisation is ‘accelerating innovation goals in the right direction — but others now need to follow that vision for a healthier country'

That is the view of InnoScot Health — a key agent in realising the country’s healthcare innovation ambitions — which insists that Public Health Scotland (PHS) is forging a vital path with its recently published 10-year strategy.

The strategy, entitled Together We Can (2025–2035), aims to significantly narrow health inequalities between the richest and poorest areas by 2035, and InnoScot Health firmly believes that the focus on shifting to a prevention-led system which will drive collaborative action is the correct one.

The organisation says that PHS has delivered an impactful roadmap to improved healthcare innovation for all to get behind, extending the ambitions laid out last year in a well-received innovation framework.

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson said: “PHS is accelerating Scotland’s innovation goals in the right direction — but others now need to follow that vision for a healthier country.

“We continue to see a lot of ambition, but not enough alignment across what remains a fragmented ecosystem. While there are signs of positive change, more is urgently needed.

“PHS is placing collaborative innovation at the heart of its drive for improvement which is exactly right. All must seek to replicate that stance and aim to break down barriers to multidisciplinary progress if we are to achieve a healthier, better aligned Scotland.

“PHS says it collaborates with others to design, test, and scale innovative approaches to health improvement. That is a very welcome invitation which Scotland’s ‘triple helix’ of NHS, industry, and academia must be responsive to.”

InnoScot Health has invited PHS to be a guest speaker during its free webinar on Wednesday 25 February, entitled ‘Addressing complex and evolving challenges in public health — a new framework for innovation’.

Graham notes that PHS describes itself as “a bridge between research and practice which will collaborate with academic and practice partners to translate evidence into action” and will “continue to support rapid evaluation, knowledge mobilisation and the spread of successful innovations”.

He added: “Like ourselves, the national body is committed to continuous support for rapid evaluation, sharing knowledge, and fostering the spread of successful innovations.

“It also recognises the strength in diversity — of backgrounds, professions, and areas of expertise — which we believe is vital to unlocking the most cutting-edge innovation.

“Fundamentally, PHS says it ‘brings together partners to build shared understanding and joint solutions’.

“That is a valuable ethos if Scotland is to make sustained progress in addressing complex, evolving challenges in public health.”