CW Innovation, in collaboration with DigitalHealth.London (DH.L), has celebrated the first cohort of Horizon Fellows by holding a Horizon Fellowship Showcase at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

The Horizon Fellowship programme, which launched in November 2021, supports and funds 20 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust staff to develop and deliver innovative projects that help to improve patient care and experience. Led by CW Innovation, the 12-month leadership and training programme has been a huge success, and the showcase event was a day of celebrating achievements and learnings while looking ahead to next year’s Fellows and the importance of digital innovation in healthcare.

During the event, Fellows presented their success stories and took part in panel discussions, reflecting on their professional and personal development since embarking on the programme. They also participated in Q&As and presented 60-second pitches of their projects, as well as sharing their impact. The event was also an opportunity to hear from CW+ and DH.L staff about the success of the Fellowship and the advancement of the programme.

Kwesi Afful spoke about his innovation journey from Digital Pioneer Fellowship 2018 cohort to Assistant Director of Programmes at NHS England. He also shared his thoughts on the future of digital health and offered top tips for the Fellows.

Commenting on the showcase event, which was also attended by CW+ Trustees, Chris Chaney, Chief Executive of CW+, said: ‘This event was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the first cohort of the Horizon Fellows and to hear about the success of their innovative projects.

‘It is so important to create a culture of innovation at the Trust, and the Horizon Fellowship is a fantastic platform for staff to access the support they need to bring their ideas to life. We very much look forward to building on the success of this year’s programme when we launch the second cohort in the coming months.’