Connecting innovation, research and improvement across the health and care system

Innovation, Research and Improvement activity across Humber and North Yorkshire (HNY) has historically been delivered in parallel, but often in isolation.

Although these domains share similar aims, differing terminology, structures and entry points have created fragmented routes for teams seeking support to improve the delivery of health and care services. 

This project, funded through the Q community’s Supporting Q Connections programme and led by IRIS (HNY’s Innovation, Research and Improvement System, hosted by the Integrated Care Board), set out to address this challenge by bringing together stakeholders from across HNY to explore ways to better connect innovation, research and improvement throughout the system.

The work took place between March 2025 and March 2026, and centred on four core areas: 

• Co‑producing an animation to promote the benefits of aligning innovation, research and improvement (IRI) and highlight how to build cultures that enable this.
• Co‑designing practical pathways to support staff with navigating IRI processes.
• Creating a shared language resource to foster greater understanding between the three domains, enabling colleagues to communicate more confidently and collaborate more effectively across disciplines.
• Developing existing IRI Communities of Practice (CoPs). 

• Ongoing engagement with the 300+ CoP members to map IRI pathways and explore how language differs between the three domains. 
• Establishing a Design Group of staff working in IRI in various roles and organisations across HNY Integrated Care System (ICS), ensuring the project outputs were fully aligned with end-user needs. 
• Commissioning an experienced creative design agency, Nifty Fox, to co-create the animation with the Design Group, also using their voices for narration. 
• Applying improvement tools, including the Model for Improvement and the Double Diamond design framework, to refine complex ideas into practical outputs. 
• Working with a CoP expert to coach team members on convening successful communities of practice. 
• Using facilitation software (Miro) to enable asynchronous and virtual engagement with stakeholders and enable collaborative working. 
• A dedicated Project Manager, who chaired monthly delivery group meetings to maintain progress and momentum. 

Soon after the project kicked off, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced transformation plans which signalled a possible shift of improvement, research and innovation responsibilities out of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). While the IRIS team aims to promote a culture of innovation, research and improvement within the ICB and ICS, the programme was subsequently threatened with closure, leaving team members facing an uncertain future. 

In response, the team focused on the project being a legacy for IRIS to ensure its message and outputs would remain impactful beyond the programme’s closure. 

One of the initial aims was to commission a CoP expert to support the development of IRI Communities of Practice. However, due to ICB restructures, the decision was made to close these CoPs. The team therefore pivoted this resource to support the emergence of new CoPs in the organisation linked to neighbourhood health. 

Instability was also present in the wider system. While co-production was a core aim of the project, widespread uncertainty affected stakeholders’ ability to engage consistently. 

 Initial interest from stakeholders in joining the Design Group was higher than expected. Anticipating some attrition, the team chose to include all interested participants. The Project Manager maintained consistent communication with the Design Group through regular updates and virtual meetings, clearly demonstrating how their input shaped the work. 

Although some members were unable to contribute actively to the end of the project, these communication efforts ensured that stakeholder perspectives were incorporated and resources were developed collaboratively with end users. 

Qualitative feedback from CoP members taking part in workshops highlighted strong appreciation for opportunities to meet new colleagues, identify future collaborators and share learning. The collaborative work that took place during the project has begun to shift culture towards greater openness and integration. 

Feedback from Design Group members was also positive, with participants valuing both the process and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully. 

One Design Group member reflected:

The project outputs have been positively received by senior leaders and executives within the ICB, including feedback on how effectively the animation articulates the importance of aligning innovation, research and improvement. 

The team has implemented a comprehensive dissemination plan to ensure resources are shared widely throughout HNY ICS and nationally. The project and outputs have been shared with the wider improvement community through presentations at Q member events, NHS IMPACT events and NHS Confed Expo. 

Due to the closure of the IRIS programme and wider changes to the role of the ICB, it will not be possible to formally measure the long-term impact the resources have on addressing healthcare challenges through aligning improvement, research and innovation functions. 

However, the outputs will be shared widely across the system and hosted on Q’s website. They provide a clear blueprint and rationale to support new ways of approaching complex challenges. The IRIS team is incredibly proud of the co-produced resources that can be shared with a broad audience to reduce siloed working and solve challenges throughout the health and care system. 

• Shared language enables system alignment.
• Co-design drives ownership and adoption.
• Simplicity increases accessibility and scalability.
• Integration across innovation, research and improvement is critical.
• Relationships and networks underpin delivery.
• Adaptive and reflective delivery is essential.
• Clear pathways support action.
• Capability building sustains change.
• Knowledge mobilisation must be intentional.
• Planning early for legacy and transfer is vital. 

The following resources were developed as part of the project:

• Model for Improvement 
• Double Diamond framework