CW Innovation’s Horizon Fellowship reveals first participants

CW Innovation has revealed the 20 first participants to join its new Horizon Fellowship programme which aims to identify the next generation of innovators.

Announced by CW+ (the official charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust), the trust and its delivery partner DigitalHealth.London, 20 staff from the trust have been selected to join the programme.

The staff will be supported with their efforts to lead an innovation project within the hospital that works to improve patient care and experience. The first cohort are all NHS or health-related staff at or connected with the trust. They will be given 12 protected days to focus on their project and CW Innovation will provide the necessary funding to support its delivery.

Chris Chaney, chief executive at CW+, said: “We are delighted to announce the twenty talented Fellows from across the Trust who have been accepted onto our new Horizon Fellowship programme, which presents a fantastic opportunity to provide staff with the support they need to bring their innovation project ideas to life.

“With such a diverse range of innovative staff, we are set for an exciting year ahead, which will see us rejuvenate how we work, helping improve patient care and experience across the trust.”

Over the course of the year-long programme, Fellows will learn from others, gain new skills and knowledge and connect with like-minded peers and mentors. A series of workshops and events will give them the opportunity to learn from other, share their challenges and experience and collaborate to co-design solutions.

Taught modules will cover subjects ranging from change management and business case development through to agile delivery and service improvement. There is also the chance to choose a suitable mentor and be grouped into action learning sets with other Fellows working in a similar environment.

The Horizon Fellowship programme builds on the existing Digitalhealth.London Digital Pioneer Fellowship, which has already supported a number of staff at the hospital on digital transformation projects.

Katya Masconi-Yule, head of DigitalHealth.London’s Digital Pioneer Fellowship, added: “We are thrilled to be partnering with CW Innovation to deliver the first ever Horizon Fellowship programme and a huge congratulations to the twenty Fellows joining the first cohort.

“The Fellows, who are delivering a variety of truly transformational projects across the Trust, will be given the tools they need to drive development and adoption, and to ultimately improve staff experience and patient care across the organisation.”