Nuala Foley is Industry Engagement Manager at KSS AHSN. In her latest blog she considers some of the themes that have come through from her recent discussions with industry colleagues.
Each week I talk with lots of companies, all of them at different stages of maturity in terms of their own development and the extent to which they’re engaged with the NHS. Some are new to the NHS and others are much further along; at KSS AHSN we’re able to offer initial guidance to those who are at an earlier stage through our market insight briefings and further, more extensive support to those at a later stage in their journey with the NHS and in their evidence.
One thing I’ve noticed recently, in discussions with companies right across the maturity spectrum, is the issue of evidence. For an early stage product, it’s evidence that gives them the credibility they need to set up a pilot with the NHS. For others it’s more about needing evidence to persuade commissioners on a wider scale. Most companies know that something’s missing but find it hard to identify exactly what it is they need.
That’s why the time put into creating a compelling value proposition is so crucial. Often companies have incomplete value propositions which don’t provide the answers to the questions that different people within the NHS will have, and they are often not clear on the actual problem and the scale of that problem nationally.
That’s where AHSNs come in. With our knowledge of the NHS market and connections with healthcare professionals, we can help look at things from a range of different points of view, enabling companies to address any gaps in their value proposition.
Articulating value to the NHS can be a complex task. It’s also very specific to each product or service and will be different if it’s a digital solution, a workforce solution or a diagnostic tool. The key is expressing value in a way that the right person or people in the NHS will understand and chimes with what they’re looking for.
The NHS Long Term Plan is a key document that can help here and is definitely worth a look for anyone wanting to work with the NHS as it provides an initial indication as to areas in which the NHS is seeking to improve and make changes.
These are the sorts of things that we cover in our monthly Market Insight Briefings, which are designed for anyone new or relatively new to working with the NHS. We can also offer tailored support to people already working with the NHS and who are ready to scale their offer, but need to refine their value proposition to new parts of the market.
Our Technology Navigator team has strong connections with colleagues in the NHS, which can help sense check the value proposition with relevant stakeholders.
If you’re reading this and want to know more about how we can help with presenting evidence or developing a compelling value proposition, please get in touch with me via kssahsn.bridgingthegap@nhs.net
Nuala Foley
Industry Engagement Manager
KSS AHSN
