The recent survey, which was conducted by Ashbrook Research on behalf of NHS Partner InnoScot Health, also highlighted that most staff want to be a part of the drive for making innovative ideas a reality, with 71% saying they themselves have offered ideas on how to better the delivery of healthcare on one occasion or more.

Further, nearly two-thirds (64%) of NHS staff think of themselves as innovators “to some extent,” and say they have ideas to improve the NHS. One in six respondents even said they believe they are innovators “to a great extent.”

Underpinning the staff’s drive to innovate and offer solutions is the desire to increase efficiency (95%), to make a difference to patients (97%), as well as to make their and their colleagues’ working lives easier (98%). According to a separate study conducted by the NHS, the 2022 NHS Staff Survey, one-third (34%) of its staff across the UK said they felt burnout due to their work — which responding to COVID-19, on top of funding cuts, has worsened.

“The challenges facing NHS Scotland are well reported, however as we work towards the modernisation of NHS Scotland, this survey makes it clear that staff are a major part of the solution,” said Scotland’s Chief Scientist for Health, Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak.

“It shows that there is an undoubted desire to innovate from within in order to improve outcomes for both patients and those working within health and social care. It underlines our belief that the NHS is a great driver of innovation – dedicated, hard-working staff understand the issues and how we can help solve them.

“As leaders, I believe that to rise to current challenges – and look beyond them too – we need to support and encourage fresh NHS ideas, while strengthening partnerships across the sector. More and better collaboration, with targeted and expert support, will help get innovation into patients’ hands quicker.

“This survey shows that now is absolutely the right time to do that; to really utilise the vast enthusiasm, talent and depth of healthcare expertise that we have here in Scotland, take the workforce’s most transformative, innovative ideas and accelerate their development and ultimate adoption back into the NHS.”

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InnoScot Health’s research also produced some insights regarding who among NHS Scotland’s staff are most and least likely to contribute ideas and potential solutions.

NHS Scotland staff who have worked for less than five years are, according to the survey, least likely to express an idea (61%). However, this increases with length of service (78% for those who have worked in NHS Scotland for more than 20 years).

What’s more, while NHS Scotland innovators can share in revenue returns from implemented innovations, the survey indicates that those who have worked in NHS Scotland for more than 20 years are least likely to identify money as a significant motivation to propose an idea (30%).

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson, also commented on the survey, saying: “Over the past 20 years, InnoScot Health has worked with nurses, surgeons, paramedics and many more. A strong pipeline of new ideas has been delivered into service through our enduring commitment to supporting innovation. The importance which staff clearly place on the role of innovation within the NHS is hugely encouraging.

“Our survey has illuminated a positive picture of support for transformative NHS-led innovation.

“We have now arrived at a key juncture for NHS Scotland amid significant winter challenges – and it must be considered an opportune time to leverage the promise of pandemic-inspired new ways of working.

“The NHS workforce message is clear – we can and want to innovate at this pivotal time for healthcare.”

The survey’s results come in at the end of a particularly difficult winter for the NHS. In January this year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the winter of 2022-23 was “without doubt the worst that the NHS in Scotland has faced,” resulting in a series of strikes across NHS Scotland.