Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products: a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region

Rocío Villacorta Linaza; Janet Hemingway; Adam P. Roberts; Becky Jones-Philips; Miriam Taegtmeyer; Richard L. Wright; Daire Cantillon; Maria Moore; Russell Dacombe; Ezekiel Boro; Aaron Argomandkhah; Carolina Velasco; Nicholas Feasey

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0331688

Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products: a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region

Rocío Villacorta Linaza^*, Janet Hemingway, Adam P. Roberts, Becky Jones-Philips, Miriam Taegtmeyer, Richard L. Wright, Daire Cantillon, Maria Moore, Russell Dacombe, Ezekiel Boro, Aaron Argomandkhah, Carolina Velasco, Nicholas Feasey

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) result in prolonged hospital stays and an increased incidence of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in developing innovative Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) solutions, but they face substantial challenges in navigating the complex NHS procurement system. This study, carried out in the Liverpool City Region in 2022, investigated these barriers. The methodology involved qualitative data collection through an online survey and five semi-structured interviews with SMEs involved in IPC innovation. The survey targeted 114 SMEs, and the interviews were conducted remotely with management teams. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo software, allowing for the identification of key barriers and recurring themes across the dataset. Key challenges identified included high market-entry costs, navigating complex regulatory and procurement frameworks, and limited access to key NHS stakeholders. These issues were compounded by fragmented decision-making processes within NHS Trusts, making it difficult for SMEs to secure product adoption. Despite these barriers, SMEs remain committed to innovating IPC solutions, driven by the potential to improve patient care and address antimicrobial resistance. This report recommends streamlining support mechanisms for SMEs, improving access to NHS decision-makers, and advocating for policy reforms to simplify the procurement process. By facilitating collaboration between SMEs, the NHS, and other stakeholders, the adoption of innovative IPC products can be accelerated, ultimately benefiting patients and addressing the significant public health threats posed by HAIs and antimicrobial resistance.

Original language	English
Article number	e0331688
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
Journal	PLoS ONE
Volume	20
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331688
Publication status	Published - 16 Sept 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1371/journal.pone.0331688Licence: CC BY

Villacorta Linaza-et-al-Overcoming-barriers-to-NHS-PONE-0331688-CCBY
Copyright: © 2025 Villacorta Linaza et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Final published version, 589 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Villacorta Linaza, R., Hemingway, J., Roberts, A. P., Jones-Philips, B., Taegtmeyer, M., Wright, R. L., Cantillon, D., Moore, M., Dacombe, R., Boro, E., Argomandkhah, A., Velasco, C., & Feasey, N. (2025). Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products: a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region. PLoS ONE, 20(9), 1-14. Article e0331688. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331688

@article{c1ccae3318e840759d2176c4b72219f2,

title = "Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products: a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region",

abstract = "Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) result in prolonged hospital stays and an increased incidence of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in developing innovative Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) solutions, but they face substantial challenges in navigating the complex NHS procurement system. This study, carried out in the Liverpool City Region in 2022, investigated these barriers. The methodology involved qualitative data collection through an online survey and five semi-structured interviews with SMEs involved in IPC innovation. The survey targeted 114 SMEs, and the interviews were conducted remotely with management teams. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo software, allowing for the identification of key barriers and recurring themes across the dataset. Key challenges identified included high market-entry costs, navigating complex regulatory and procurement frameworks, and limited access to key NHS stakeholders. These issues were compounded by fragmented decision-making processes within NHS Trusts, making it difficult for SMEs to secure product adoption. Despite these barriers, SMEs remain committed to innovating IPC solutions, driven by the potential to improve patient care and address antimicrobial resistance. This report recommends streamlining support mechanisms for SMEs, improving access to NHS decision-makers, and advocating for policy reforms to simplify the procurement process. By facilitating collaboration between SMEs, the NHS, and other stakeholders, the adoption of innovative IPC products can be accelerated, ultimately benefiting patients and addressing the significant public health threats posed by HAIs and antimicrobial resistance.",

author = "{Villacorta Linaza}, Roc{\'i}o and Janet Hemingway and Roberts, {Adam P.} and Becky Jones-Philips and Miriam Taegtmeyer and Wright, {Richard L.} and Daire Cantillon and Maria Moore and Russell Dacombe and Ezekiel Boro and Aaron Argomandkhah and Carolina Velasco and Nicholas Feasey",

note = "Funding: This research was supported by The Bloomsbury SET (Science, Economics, Technology) innovation partnership programme, awarded through Research England{\textquoteright}s Connecting Capability Fund.",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0331688",

language = "English",

volume = "20",

pages = "1--14",

journal = "PLoS ONE",

issn = "1932-6203",

publisher = "Public Library of Science",

number = "9",

}

Villacorta Linaza, R, Hemingway, J, Roberts, AP, Jones-Philips, B, Taegtmeyer, M, Wright, RL, Cantillon, D, Moore, M, Dacombe, R, Boro, E, Argomandkhah, A, Velasco, C & Feasey, N 2025, 'Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products: a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region', PLoS ONE, vol. 20, no. 9, e0331688, pp. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331688

TY - JOUR

T1 - Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products

T2 - a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region

AU - Villacorta Linaza, Rocío

AU - Hemingway, Janet

AU - Roberts, Adam P.

AU - Jones-Philips, Becky

AU - Taegtmeyer, Miriam

AU - Wright, Richard L.

AU - Cantillon, Daire

AU - Moore, Maria

AU - Dacombe, Russell

AU - Boro, Ezekiel

AU - Argomandkhah, Aaron

AU - Velasco, Carolina

AU - Feasey, Nicholas

N1 - Funding: This research was supported by The Bloomsbury SET (Science, Economics, Technology) innovation partnership programme, awarded through Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund.

PY - 2025/9/16

Y1 - 2025/9/16

N2 - Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) result in prolonged hospital stays and an increased incidence of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in developing innovative Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) solutions, but they face substantial challenges in navigating the complex NHS procurement system. This study, carried out in the Liverpool City Region in 2022, investigated these barriers. The methodology involved qualitative data collection through an online survey and five semi-structured interviews with SMEs involved in IPC innovation. The survey targeted 114 SMEs, and the interviews were conducted remotely with management teams. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo software, allowing for the identification of key barriers and recurring themes across the dataset. Key challenges identified included high market-entry costs, navigating complex regulatory and procurement frameworks, and limited access to key NHS stakeholders. These issues were compounded by fragmented decision-making processes within NHS Trusts, making it difficult for SMEs to secure product adoption. Despite these barriers, SMEs remain committed to innovating IPC solutions, driven by the potential to improve patient care and address antimicrobial resistance. This report recommends streamlining support mechanisms for SMEs, improving access to NHS decision-makers, and advocating for policy reforms to simplify the procurement process. By facilitating collaboration between SMEs, the NHS, and other stakeholders, the adoption of innovative IPC products can be accelerated, ultimately benefiting patients and addressing the significant public health threats posed by HAIs and antimicrobial resistance.

AB - Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) result in prolonged hospital stays and an increased incidence of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in developing innovative Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) solutions, but they face substantial challenges in navigating the complex NHS procurement system. This study, carried out in the Liverpool City Region in 2022, investigated these barriers. The methodology involved qualitative data collection through an online survey and five semi-structured interviews with SMEs involved in IPC innovation. The survey targeted 114 SMEs, and the interviews were conducted remotely with management teams. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo software, allowing for the identification of key barriers and recurring themes across the dataset. Key challenges identified included high market-entry costs, navigating complex regulatory and procurement frameworks, and limited access to key NHS stakeholders. These issues were compounded by fragmented decision-making processes within NHS Trusts, making it difficult for SMEs to secure product adoption. Despite these barriers, SMEs remain committed to innovating IPC solutions, driven by the potential to improve patient care and address antimicrobial resistance. This report recommends streamlining support mechanisms for SMEs, improving access to NHS decision-makers, and advocating for policy reforms to simplify the procurement process. By facilitating collaboration between SMEs, the NHS, and other stakeholders, the adoption of innovative IPC products can be accelerated, ultimately benefiting patients and addressing the significant public health threats posed by HAIs and antimicrobial resistance.

U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0331688

DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0331688

M3 - Article

SN - 1932-6203

VL - 20

SP - 1

EP - 14

JO - PLoS ONE

JF - PLoS ONE

IS - 9

M1 - e0331688

ER -

Overcoming barriers to NHS adoption of innovative IPC products: a qualitative study of SMEs in the Liverpool city region

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this