Southern Denmark – Sharing learning and expertise in Health and Social Care innovation

posted in: eHealth Cluster Blog | 0

by Rosemary Kay

 “Welfare Society 2.0 We can choose between two ways: to save or to innovate. We chose innovation.”

Moreton Hoff, Head of Center for Health and Welfare Technology, Odense Municipality.

Fantastic host, Christina Wanscher, Advisor with a passion for innovation, takes the floor as volunteer demonstrator!
Fantastic host, Christina Wanscher, Advisor with a passion for innovation, takes the floor as volunteer demonstrator!

 

 

I was recently invited to attend the Week of Health and Innovation in Southern Denmark to speak about our Liverpool City Region eHealth Custer and take part in a CORAL (Community of Regions for Assisted Living) study visit. Our hosts could not have been more welcoming and informative, generating a busy couple of days. The organisations we met demonstrated how a consistent, coordinated focus on innovation rather than cost cutting has led to the highly developed expertise in innovation and the delivery of effective health and care services in Southern Denmark.

 

 

 

denmark-3There is a lot we can learn from their journey as our cluster working develops across the Liverpool City Region. If we want to achieve innovation at this sort of scale we need a coordinated approach to developing:

  • A focus on public and private collaboration
  • A formalised approach to citizen and user involvement
  • A long term commitment to innovation across the region – continuity and commitment, not stop/start projects

 

 

 

Great Danish food – “Kuglen” dessert
Great Danish food – “Kuglen” dessert

With an interest in cluster working,  I was particularly struck by the work of Welfare Tech, the Danish national cluster and hub for innovation and business development in healthcare, homecare and social services (http://en.welfaretech.dk/ ). I was lucky enough to have lunch with Karen Lindegaard, their programme manager and it was interesting to compare the divisions we have between health and social care with their approach to integrated healthcare and homecare. Karen is keen to explore the opportunity for learning from each other especially in the area of developing the social care workforce to meet future needs.

 

 

 

All the learning from this visit has confirmed in my mind the great opportunities we have locally to work more collaboratively in the Liverpool City Region supporting true open innovation. But this needs continuous commitment from all parties. The eHealth Cluster is still growing, with more organisations wanting to get involved. Organisations are seeing the cluster as way to get into the local health ecosystem, using the great resources and skills we have here more effectively to create greater impact for the local population. The local population of Southern Denmark is 1.2 million …not that different to the Liverpool City Region…..

If you want to get involved or find out more contact rosemary@ehealthcluster.co.uk