Why innovation in healthcare needs patient involvement

Written by Sarah Tilsed, Head of Partnerships and Involvement.

Healthcare innovation is advancing at an incredible pace, with new technologies and digital solutions transforming the way care is delivered. But for these innovations to truly benefit everyone, patients need to be part of the conversation from the start.

Last month, I attended HETT North in Manchester, an event that brought together over 1,000 digital health professionals, with more than 100 speakers and 50 suppliers showcasing innovative solutions. The Patients Association partnered with the Health Innovation Network for the event to discuss how patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) needs to be embedded into healthcare innovation to ensure health inequalities are addressed.

I was joined at the event by three patients (and Patient Association members), and together we met with health innovators at their exhibition stands. Susan, one of those patients, shared with me why patient involvement is important to her:

“Embedding PPIE in healthcare innovation is crucial to ensuring equitable solutions.  I was delighted to have the opportunity to attend HETT North to learn about some of the outstanding innovations on display and to join the roundtable of patients, innovators, Health Innovation Network and Patients Association representatives. Recognising the patient is the ‘expert’ in their own condition and their inclusion in the innovation development pathway is key to successful outcomes and patient empowerment.”

As we made our way around the exhibition hall, we were shown some great examples of health innovation, however we did find some businesses hadn’t fully considered the patient journey. For example, when one of the products was explained, there was a lot of jargon used so we were left a little confused. And another product required an email address for a patient to receive the full benefits, meaning it wouldn’t be accessible for those experience digital exclusion. That saying, the innovations were fantastic and it’s great to see so many exciting healthcare tools out there now, which to me looked like they are improving the lives of patients.  Samantha, another of the patients attending with me, commented that “systems should not just be for the ‘normally well, sometimes sick’ people, because then the ‘normally ill, sometimes very ill’ people get moved around like a game of tennis and then get lost forever in the system.” 

I was also there to participate in a roundtable that was attended by 55 people and ended up being standing room only! Patients, the Health Innovation Network, innovators, myself, academics, and others discussed co-creation in healthcare. I shared the Patients Association’s recent report and resources on health inequity, and spoke of the importance of embedding our patient partnership principles. It was an insightful discussion between everyone in the room that encouraged people to think more about how innovation could potentially support those at risk of health inequalities. 

Ruhel, our third patient attending with me, shared his reflections on what he thought were inspiring insights at the 'Patients at the Heart of Innovation' roundtable: “I learned about the importance of working together to improve healthcare. The discussions highlighted that involving patients and healthcare professionals in the design process leads to solutions that truly meet every day needs. Overall, the event emphasised the vital role of including patient feedback in creating effective healthcare solutions. I eagerly anticipate our future collaboration.”

Innovation in healthcare is only truly effective when patients are involved at every stage of the process. From the initial design of new technologies to their real-world implementation, PPIE ensures that solutions are accessible, inclusive, and genuinely meet the needs of those who rely on them. Without patient voices, innovations risk being developed in a vacuum, overlooking the realities of living with long-term conditions or navigating the complexities of the healthcare system. That’s why events like HETT North are so important – they provide a space for meaningful conversations about how we can embed patient perspectives into healthcare innovation to tackle health inequalities and improve outcomes for all.

A report will be published with recommendations on improving how PPIE can be embedded into healthcare innovation to ensure health inequalities are addressed. Sign up to our weekly newsletter to receive a link when the report is published.