As we step into 2022, the pandemic remains an ongoing challenge; yet we should not let it deflect from the ability of our health and social care services to adapt in response. It demonstrates resilience, commitment and determination; and as we look to the future, we can use lessons from the pandemic, to inspire and support new approaches to healthcare.
 
Innovation is at the heart of this and writing for The Herald this month, SHIL Executive Chairman Graham Watson discusses the evolving infrastructure across Scotland, ambitions of the sector, vast technological advances; and fundamentally the importance of collaboration in improving the quality, efficiency and sustainability of healthcare.
 
Such collaborative efforts are evident in our partnership with the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI) where we have worked together on a first-for-Scotland initiative to deliver a unique and growing suite of UKCA marked decision support tools. These are designed to drive consistent, evidence-based practice across health and social care in Scotland and positively impact on patient and service outcomes.
 
In efforts to scale up and encourage more innovation across healthcare in Scotland, we are also currently recruiting an Innovation Manager to support NHS Scotland boards in the North and the islands. With a passion for innovation, and an ability to engage with healthcare professionals at all levels the successful candidate will be responsible for identifying innovative ideas from NHS Scotland staff and developing through to successful commercialisation.
 
The start of the year also signals the start of an exciting events agenda, with a hopeful return to in-person meetings. The NHS Scotland event will take place in June 2022 at the P&J Live Arena in Aberdeen, with poster submissions now open; and BioDundee will be taking place virtually in May. We look forward to meeting with colleagues across the innovation sector throughout the year and continuing our work to support an entrepreneurial Scotland where healthcare innovation thrives.

We hope you enjoy this issue of INSIGHT. As always, we develop our publications based on your feedback, so please get in touch via info@shil.co.uk and don't forget to follow @ScotHealthinno for daily health innovation news and insight.