Do innovation labs improve health and care services

For the purposes of our review, the term ​‘innovation labs’ is shorthand for innovation spaces focusing on social innovation and operating within the public sector. 

The review included organisations whose innovation functions follow a lab approach, even if they do not call themselves labs. 

Q commissioned the report to help develop our strategy and approach in Q Lab. For this reason, it does not include evidence about Q Lab, but rather the wider evidence base since 2017. 

The review found that there are some areas of consistent, promising work where innovation labs are adding value. They include:

• generating successful innovations
• creating connections between stakeholders across boundaries
• developing the kills, capabilities and mindsets of participants.

The review concluded that, in order to make improvements at scale, innovation labs need to be part of a wider ecosystem of innovation across the system. 

The report highlights the tensions and trade-offs faced by many innovation labs. 

To be successful, a lab must consider:

• its position within or outside of organisations, and alignment to strategic priorities
• how to negotiate scope and purpose
• how to apply design and systems thinking in a health and care context.

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but it is important to be aware of the consequences of the choices made when negotiating them.

The review could not conclude whether innovation labs are successful at improving health and care, due to a limited evidence base, the diversity of labs, the small number of existing labs, and the limited number of published evaluations.

It is not a simple problem to address, but strengthening evaluation practices is essential for this fast-moving field. It will be vital to demonstrate the relevance of innovation labs and support their continued development. 

Innovation Unit, who conducted the review, took a flexible and iterative approach to this research. Because there is a scarcity of published evidence on health and care innovation labs in the UK, they looked at a wider international base and explored beyond the boundaries of health and care. 

They conducted semi-structured interviews with people working in innovation labs, and drew on wider resources than published academic literature to ensure we captured timely and relevant insights.