Back in 2022, I wrote a blog asking a simple but important question: how do you embed a sustainable approach to healthcare innovation when innovation means different things to different people? The Dorset Innovation Hub was being established. We had a vision, a framework, and a good deal of enthusiasm, but we were only just beginning the journey of turning innovation from something that happened occasionally into something embedded within the culture of our system.
As I write this, six years after taking on my role as lead for the Dorset Innovation Hub and as I prepare to say au revoir to colleagues and partners across Dorset, it feels like the right moment to reflect on what we have achieved together.
Looking back, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that innovation is never really about technology, products, or programmes. It is about people. It is about creating the conditions where people feel empowered to improve things, where good ideas are welcomed, where evidence informs decisions, and where people and organisations work together towards a shared purpose.
When we established the Dorset Innovation Hub in 2021 with funding from the Health Foundation and support from the Innovation Unit, we adopted a shared definition of innovation that recognised both invention and adoption. We deliberately focused much of our effort on the often-overlooked challenge of adopting and spreading innovations that have already been shown to work elsewhere. We knew that if we were serious about improving outcomes for people in Dorset, we needed to build a system that could consistently identify, assess, adopt and sustain innovation.
Today, I am proud of how far we have come. The annual report for 2025/26 highlights an innovation programme that has matured into a truly system-wide endeavour. Through the NHS Dorset Centralised Research and Innovation Service and the Dorset Innovation Hub partnership, we have established governance, support structures, education programmes, communications channels and collaborative networks that create the conditions for innovation adoption across Dorset.
One of the achievements I am most proud of is that innovation in Dorset is no longer seen as the responsibility of a single team. It belongs to all of us. Over the years, we have brought together partners from health, social care, local government, academia, the voluntary sector, industry and economic development and patients and public contributors. The Dorset Innovation Hub now includes thirteen partner organisations, each bringing different perspectives, expertise and strengths (see Dorset Innovation Hub partnership graphic below). Together, they have helped shape an approach that is uniquely Dorset: pragmatic, collaborative and focused on real-world impact.
Our “Developing the Impact” programme has become a cornerstone of this approach. What began as conversations about innovation culture has evolved into organisations actively building their capabilities, sharing learning, showcasing achievements and supporting one another. Watching these relationships develop across the system has been one of the greatest privileges of my role.
I am equally proud of our commitment to education and capability building. The Fundamentals of Innovation Adoption training, Community of Practice events and bespoke development sessions have helped create a growing network of people who understand not only what innovation is, but how to make it happen successfully. The conversations and connections that emerge from these sessions often become as important as the formal learning itself.
There have, of course, been challenges. The past few years have seen significant change across the NHS and wider public sector. Financial pressures, organisational restructuring, the creation and evolution of Integrated Care Systems, workforce challenges, and shifting local and national priorities have all tested our ability to maintain momentum. Yet throughout these changes, colleagues across Dorset have remained committed to improving services and outcomes for our communities. Rather than seeing innovation as an “extra”, many have recognised it as part of the solution.
Another area that has evolved significantly is our understanding of the importance of involving people and communities. We have increasingly recognised that sustainable innovation cannot be done to people; it must be developed with them. The work undertaken with the Dorset Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly to strengthen public involvement represents an important step forward and one that I hope continues to grow in the years ahead.
What gives me confidence for the future is that the foundations for the Dorset Innovation Hub are now firmly in place. The Dorset Innovation Hub is no longer a new initiative finding its feet. It is a respected strategic partnership. Innovation is increasingly part of everyday conversations. There are established mechanisms to support adoption, spread learning, build capability and connect people. Most importantly, there is a growing belief across the system that we can work together to solve complex challenges and improve the lives of people in Dorset.
As I step away, my hope is that Dorset continues to be ambitious. The Health Foundation’s work on Accelerating Innovation Systems challenged us to be bold, and I think that remains a fitting challenge for all of us. The opportunities ahead are significant, but so too is Dorset’s ability to respond creatively, collaboratively and compassionately.
The work of the Dorset Innovation Hub was never mine alone, it has always been a collective effort. When I wrote my first blog on sustainability, I ended by saying, “Watch this space.” Looking back now, I think we did much more than watch. Together, we built something that has become an integral part of Dorset’s health and care system. We created connections where none existed before, developed capability across organisations, supported the adoption of evidence-based innovation, and demonstrated what can be achieved when partners come together around a shared purpose.
As I leave my role as Lead for the Dorset Innovation Hub, one of the things I am most proud of is knowing that the future is in safe hands. The recent agreement for the Federation (Dorset County Hospital and Dorset HealthCare) and Health Sciences University to co-host the Dorset Innovation Hub marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the partnership. Dorset Innovation Hub 2.0 is not about starting again. It is about building on strong foundations, taking everything we have learned over the past six years and using it to create even greater impact for the people of Dorset. Wishing all the best to everyone involved in Dorset Innovation Hub 2.0. I cannot wait to see what you achieve next.
Finally, I want to say thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. It has been an absolute privilege to work alongside you. Thank you to those who believed in the vision, challenged our thinking, and helped us improve. Thank you to everyone who gave their time, expertise and energy, often alongside demanding day jobs. Every project, workshop, event, development day, case study, challenge and success has helped shape the culture we see today. And thank you to the many colleagues who continue to champion innovation in all its forms. While this chapter may be coming to a close, I look forward to continuing to work with many of you across the wider improvement, innovation and research landscape as we collectively strive to improve the experience and outcomes for the population of Dorset and wider.
Sarah Chessell
Outgoing – Lead for the Dorset Innovation Hub
Values driven Strategic Leader | Improvement and Patient Experience Researcher
www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-chessell
2nd November 2026
