Funding for innovations in healthcare

Companies are invited to apply for funding to support the development of healthcare innovations. 

The latest call from SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) Healthcare is for applications about innovations in mental health and in surgical technologies.

A briefing event takes place on 3 November at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where clinicians will outline some of the challenges which could be resolved by new products.

The SBRI Healthcare fund is run by NHS England in partnership with the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) including the Innovation Agency, the AHSN for the North West Coast.

Selection of projects will be based on their potential value to the health service and on improved outcomes for patients.

Innovation Agency Chief Operating Officer Lorna Green said: “This is a great opportunity for enterprising businesses to use their skills and services to work with the NHS.

 “Accessing mental health support can be challenging for young people and the NHS is keen to consider other ways of offering accessible support, through the use of education,   technology, as-well as through traditional services.

 “At the briefing event, they can talk to clinicians about the potential for new ways of working, in mental health and in technologies for surgery. Places are limited but anyone    interested can also find out more at the website sbrihealthcare.co.uk.”

 This year’s follow up to the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health report observed that 120,000 more people are now receiving specialist mental health treatment     compared to 3 years ago, including over 20,000 more children and young people.

 Over a ten year period, the number of surgical admissions to secondary care increased by 27%, from 3.7 million in 2003/04 to 4.7 million in 2013/14. There are over three   thousand NHS operating theatres in England, 19% of which are dedicated day case theatres and annual expenditure on surgery in the NHS has been estimated at £4.5 billion (2013).

In order to reduce the costs incurred by surgical admissions, there has been a trend towards having both elective and non-elective procedures carried out as day cases. Other examples of reducing length of stay following surgery and improving patient outcomes include the use of surgical techniques which are minimally invasive, the deployment of robotic systems and virtual reality based training.

Another approach to reducing the costs within surgery is to deploy frugal innovation, which involves taking an established tool or work practice and developing a new and more cost-effective way of deploying it.

There are lots of potential technologies available that have the capability to help patients with mental health issues. What is lacking are new interventions and transformative technologies that can augment existing treatments by improving their efficacy, engagement and delivery. Emerging evidence from some vanguard sites suggests that integrated approaches to mental health can help to support improved performance across the wider health system. 

If successful, applicants can receive up to £100,000 (including VAT) of funding for phase one (feasibility) and up to £1 million (including VAT) for phase two (development) for solutions that match the needs of the NHS.

The deadline for applications is 12:00hrs on 29th November 2017.  

Briefing events

The following briefing events have been scheduled for attendees to receive further details concerning the competition specification, the application process, support available to companies and the opportunity to present questions to the panel

Nottingham – Tuesday 31st October, 9:30 – 12:30pm
Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Innovation Park, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU
Click here to register

Liverpool – Friday 3 November, 8:30 – 11:00
Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool, L14 5NA
Click here to register

To apply, visit www.sbrihealthcare.co.uk

Enquiries can be made by calling 01223 928040 or emailing sbrienquiries@hee.co.uk.