InnoScot Health backs CMO call for innovation and ‘bravery’ in Scottish healthcare
Innovation specialist InnoScot Health has backed a call from Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer for progressive thinking and “bravery” to help create a healthier country.
Professor Sir Gregor Smith’s annual report for 2025-26, titled Our Path Ahead, reflects on “the magnitude of challenge” facing Scotland’s health and care system, while stating that “the status quo is not sustainable and is not an option”.
The report also points to a “moment of opportunity” and says there is “real cause for optimism” if change is approached with clarity, stewardship and patients at the centre.
Professor Smith said: “Across every part of the health and care system, the environment in which we work is shifting faster than our traditional models were designed for.
“The magnitude of challenge, from demographic change to digital disruption, from widening inequalities to the planetary health crisis, demands clarity of purpose and the courage to act differently.
“No health system has unlimited resources, so stewardship is a core responsibility, essential to achieving the outcomes that matter most.
“But there is real cause for optimism. With patients and communities at the heart of what we do, change and adaptation can be a force for good, even in unsettled times.”
The report notes that Scotland’s Population Health Framework, alongside emerging technologies, could support positive new approaches to care and “signal a moment of opportunity”.
However, Professor Smith also warns that “change will not be immediate” and that a new path will require “not only innovation, but realism; not only ambition, but stewardship; not only new tools, but renewed trust”.
He added that harnessing disruptive innovation while protecting the human element of care will allow Scotland to take its next steps “with hope”.
InnoScot Health has shared the CMO’s optimism for evidence-based progress and said innovation should remain a key pillar in an environment where people and lived experience remain central to decision-making.
Graham Watson, Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, said: “The CMO is right to note that innovation must remain patient-led if it is to be truly effective. It must always start with the person and aim to meet a particular identified need right from the outset.
“He is also correct to say that innovation should be key to building trust during this challenging period, against a backdrop of diverse legacy systems in place across the country, making unified change difficult, as well as tighter resources, and higher demand from an ageing population.
“These are issues that will not be solved overnight, but Scotland’s undoubted capacity for progressive, collaborative thinking across NHS, industry, and academia in creating tested technologies is a tremendous unifying force which can overcome many barriers, and we must embrace its opportunities.
“Bravery is required in some regards but the benefits of making the leap are clear, from greater operational efficiency to better patient outcomes, economic growth, and lowered emissions.”
Graham added that Scotland’s healthcare innovators need wider support if they are to turn ambitious ideas into practical breakthroughs.
He said: “Of course, Scotland’s healthcare innovators also need the country’s wider support in their ambitions to be brave as breakthroughs are rarely achieved in isolation.
“Our forward-thinkers require clearly defined collaborative assistance in their ambitions to turn concept into reality, not to mention guidance on how to leverage new tech like AI both responsibly and safely.”
In the report, Professor Smith states that “meaningful improvement comes when AI is used to enable thoughtful pathway redesign”, reimagining services in ways that make best use of technology while strengthening the relationships at the heart of care.
He added: “Across Scotland, digital tools such as telecare, video consultations, remote monitoring and home-based diagnostics can support models of care that are more proactive, responsive and convenient.
“These innovations do not replace the need for clinical judgement and personal connection but can enhance them when used well.”
