Empowering NHS Teams in Breast Screening to Deliver Service Improvements
We boosted screening uptake, experience and capability through Intrapreneurship.
Context
Clearer Vision for Screening
Elective NHS services have faced mounting pressure, especially due to backlogs created during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breast Screening services were no exception — with declining patient uptake, strained staff morale, and service inefficiencies.
After a successful pilot with London Radiology, NHS commissioners asked us to scale a digital service improvement and leadership programme. The goal: enhance patient and staff experiences while equipping frontline teams with tools for problem-solving and innovation.
Approach
We designed and delivered a multi-phase programme focused on service transformation and team capability-building:
Co-Designing a New Model for Screening
We engaged senior clinical leaders to co-develop a practical intervention strategy, shaped by on-the-ground realities. A standout element was integrating CPD certification from the Royal College of Radiographers and recruiting a diverse mix of NHS professionals—both clinical and non-clinical—across grades and functions.
Delivering Service-Changing Innovation Labs
12 cross-functional teams from across the service joined a hands-on innovation process: framing real-world challenges, ideating, user-testing, and developing validated solutions. Each team pitched final propositions to sponsors for further funding and rollout across London and beyond.
Building Internal Capacity Across the Frontline
Participants not only developed tangible interventions but also gained critical thinking, influencing, and innovation skills. Most had never previously engaged in structured problem-solving of this kind. The programme left behind a cohort of intrapreneurs equipped to lead future improvement from within the NHS.
Impact
The initiative directly supported efforts to increase screening uptake, improve staff engagement, and accelerate adoption of service enhancements. By embedding capability and enabling new ideas to emerge from the frontline, the programme helped shape a stronger, more resilient screening service for the future.