The Edge is a free social platform committed to finding, sharing, curating and creating the boldest and most innovative new ideas in public services.

The NHS have created an explorable library of content designed to incite and inspire fresh thought: new ways of solving old problems, news ways of realising potential, new ways of making change happen: growing ‘new ‘ transformative power rather than old, hierarchical and transactional power.

The Edge is not just a library that asks people to keep their voices down, but a discussion forum for debate and visions for the future.

The Edge is driven by  the Horizons Group of NHS England. The Horizons Group is a small team that uses radical thinking to explore change and transformation in health and care. It aims to support colleagues in health and care to think differently about how effective change practice can lead to better outcomes for patients. The NHS The Edge are promoting an innovative webinar series to stimulate innovation and change in public services, including policing.

The NHS have an inspirational and eclectic Horizons Team of 12 people who work across England. The mission is to develop a generation of transformational leaders who together can tackle the biggest challenges. They draw on the history of great social movements and how they get their energy by growing a distributed leadership for change through activistism and social agency. The team has an interesting manifesto that underpins their work:

Scan to find the best // partner with the best // learn from the best // understand the reality of tough and complex environments for change // be social and use social methods // focus on delivery and outcomes // support emergent, as well as managed, change // help build capability to change // reduce the risks in change // support real world ‘proof of concept’ testing and scaling // think about sustainability right from the start // work across whole systems // be agile and responsive.

There is much potential in this approach for policing and innovation research – EMPAC is pleased to be able to let you know about the Edge and School for Change and encourage you to get involved and find ways of stimulating innovation in policing.

Read more about The Edge’s interactive programme School for Change here:

http://theedge.nhsiq.nhs.uk/school/

Have a look at one of their recorded webinars here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuGSGSNoJPA