Innovas Consulting Ltd

Innovas has worked with local, regional and national government in the research, feasibility study, design and evaluation of business support. Example projects include:

• Kings Award for Enterprise : Applications for Awards Assessments 2015 ongoing
  Innovas has provided and managed teams of assessors since 2015 to carry out the evaluation and assessment of all applications for the following awards: International Trade 2015 ongoing: Promoting Opportunities (Social Mobility) 2016-19: Sustainable Development 2019 ongoing
• Evaluation of Big ideas Wales (formerly called Dynamo) for the Welsh Government 2010 and ongoing
  This is a 15 year ongoing evaluation of this Welsh Government ERDF initiative which seeks to encourage young people to raise their aspirations and realise their own potential for creating new business opportunities. The research uses Enterprise Catalyst, an online profiling tool, to assess the enterprise development of individuals and therefore provides impact assessment data at cohort level. Over 15,000 people have completed this assessment each year for the past 15 years
• University of Huddersfield – Student Engagement in Knowledge Exchange Programme 2020 – 2022
  This will see over 750 students, both undergraduates and postgraduates, work in inter-disciplinary teams on real-world business problems with actual companies enabling students to develop their enterprise and innovation skills, raising their levels of employability in established companies or equipping them to start up their own enterprises. The programme is using Enterprise Catalyst from Innovas as a self-audit tool which will measure their entrepreneurial and enterprise mindset at the start of the project and also when they have been through the cycle working with businesses
• University led Business Support Programmes at Derby, Leicester, De Monfort, Lincoln, and Bedfordshire Universities: evaluating the impact and effectiveness of their enterprise programmes.
• School for Social Entrepreneurs: Evaluation of Arts Council for England funded project – Building Resilience programme to support 25 small to medium sized arts & cultural organisations,
• Silverstone Sports Technology Campus: Development of Economic Impact Proposal to support a bid for ERDF funding.
• Review of IP commercialisation for Welsh Government:  Review of IP commercialisation activities among HEIs, the NHS and businesses across Wales, including a full review of all universities and the NHS within Wales.
• Evaluation of financial administration skills project for the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals: Evaluation of a UK CES funded project that provided payroll, book-keeping and financial administration training and apprenticeships.
• Low Carbon Sector Growth Action Plan for Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership: working stake holders to develop an Action Plan building on strengths of the Low Carbon Economy in the sub-region

Since 2009 Innovas has also been working with the NHS and since 2013 with the NHS Leadership Academy (national) in the support, delivery and evaluation of various interventions/programmes. Examples include:

Graduate Management Training Scheme (GMTS) Programme Review 2021-23: The national review and evaluation of this flagship programme is focused on understanding the impact the programme has had on the careers of its participants; ensuring it remains relevant and current; reviews the focus of the learning and specialities; and ensure it is ‘fit for the future’. It includes multiple work streams, surveys, focus groups, and extensive consultation and research.

Leading for System Change 2021- ongoing: This is a formative evaluation supporting the development and delivery of this System Leadership Programme which is now in the process of being rolled out to ICSs nationally. It includes a range of Online Surveys, interviews, and virtual focus groups, as well as ICS stakeholder interviews and a self-assessment based on a ‘System Leadership Behaviours’ Framework.

Aspiring Chief Executive Review & Evaluation 2021: This review focused on ensuring the programme remains ‘fit for the future’. It included surveys of past and current alumni and interviews of alumni and key national stakeholders. The report is informing the future development of the programme

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care System: Evaluation of system leadership programme – Working Better Together 2021 – 2022: This system wide programme ran from late 2021 to mid 2022. Innovas was commissioned to support the design and evaluation working with the project team and will include system-wide consultations and feedback through a combination of interviews, focus groups and e-surveys.

Rosalind Franklin Programme Evaluation 2019-21: This evaluation ran from November 2019 and finished early in 2021. It focused on the first two pioneering cohorts – one was an open one, the other focused on GP Nurses. It included using several online surveys, focus groups, and face-to-face and telephone interviews. As well as producing an impact assessment it has also produced a series of case studies.

Research

NHS Leadership Academy: What are the implications for NHS leaders and leadership of moving towards Net Zero? 2022: Identify the impacts that net zero target has on leaders and leadership in terms of (hard and soft) skills required. This project comprises a comprehensive literature review supported by primary data collection for further investigation and validation.

NHS Leadership Academy – Leadership of Anchor Organisations: What qualities and skills do leaders need in anchor organisations – 2021 – 2022: This project comprised a comprehensive literature review to identify relevant academic and grey literature supported by primary data collection leading to recommendations for development initiatives.

NHS Leadership Academy – Data Literacy Leadership Gaps: 2021 – 2022: Research into the data literacy in Health and Care leaders and what training requirements will support evidence use in decision making: The project researched the data literacy competency of leaders in health and care and barriers that prevent them understanding, appraising, and using data effectively. This project comprises a comprehensive literature review supported by primary data collection to identify the interventions that could be adopted (or adapted) by the NHS. 

NHS Leadership & Lifelong Learning Team – Leadership Observatory (NHS Leadership Academy) – Research into Tackling Health Inequalities and the response by ICSs 2021: This research looked at the challenges; the response by ICSs; and the implication for leaders and leadership. it included developing Actionable Recommendations for ICSs to use at this critical time; with a Roundtable Challenge and Review to test the recommendations prior to finalisation.