breadth of innovation support infrastructure across the region . A process for referrals has been established with Hull and East Yorkshire LEP where they are working with healthcare innovators who may benefit from AHSN support .
Engaging with innovators
Despite three national lockdowns , we have successfully delivered 16 online events with a total of 500 attendees representing all aspects of health and innovation . Our Health Innovation Exchange service was the umbrella for us to host the Cervical Screening Best Practice Showcase in partnership with Yorkshire Cancer Research and Public Health England and we are now supporting innovators with follow-up projects and regional alliances .
In January we hosted an Immersive Technology event that focussed on virtual , augmented and mixed reality and how it is applicable to the NHS . With six guest speakers and 22 innovators sharing learning on the early adoption of this technology in healthcare on both a local and international level , we have cultivated strong strategic relationships to explore how the AHSNs can support this new agenda moving forward . In addition to this , SME innovators are also starting to request the support of the Yorkshire & Humber AHSN , with applications covering areas such as , primary care , workforce , children ’ s mental health and elderly and social connections .
More than 150 people registered for our Robotic Process Automation ( RPA ) event in March where they heard how RPA has started to achieve both financial and productivity efficiency savings within the NHS while our Innovation in Rehabilitation event paved the way for 20 companies working on products around musculoskeletal , cardiac and respiratory care and cancer to connect and take a step closer to implementation with our local providers .
Global connections
We are working towards becoming a key international partner for healthcare innovations for import and export , identifying innovations from outside the UK that meet an unmet need in our region . We have taken big strides in providing knowledge exchange for our NHS organisations to work with peers from overseas in Switzerland , Sweden , Barcelona and Israel to build partnerships that help drive innovation and improve patient outcomes and ultimately , provide economic growth to our region through foreign direct investment .
The Department of International Trade ’ s technology summits in India and Japan gave us the opportunity to present the work of the AHSN Network to world leaders , entrepreneurs and investors and the Health System Strengthening Week hosted by the Thailand Centre of Excellence for Life enabled us to demonstrate how Thai partners could draw on our AHSN Network experience to develop their own ‘ Health Innovation Clusters ’.
Our work with Norway Health Tech introduced Norwegian SMEs and their innovations to the UK healthcare system and vice versa and we have recently submitted a first draft proposal for a partnership between Oslo Hospital and Leeds Teaching Hospitals to share knowledge and innovation . Meanwhile , we have been establishing relationships with sector related organisations in Japan and Taiwan to orchestrate workshops that can help their native innovators break into the UK market and our NHS .
24 Transforming Lives Through Innovation