Funding will be awarded to develop innovative solutions that improve outcomes for patients and deliver value to the health service
In this latest round, SBRI Healthcare will be looking for ideas from companies specifically focused on addressing challenges in five key areas of healthcare: Child & Maternal Health, Integrated Care, Medicines Adherence, Musculoskeletal and Telehealth/Telecare for people with Learning Disabilities.
The Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) healthcare competitions provide seed funding for the development of novel solutions to address major healthcare challenges. Successful projects will be selected on their potential value to the health service, patient benefit and the opportunity to back thriving businesses. Generally taking a three-phased development approach, projects start with a 6 month feasibility phase with an award of up to £100,000 and then move on to more detailed product development and NHS validation, where companies can secure up to two million in funding support.
“The SBRI Healthcare programme is a great enabler of innovation in the NHS,” commented Peter Ellingworth, Chair of the SBRI Management Board. “Companies can gain substantial funding but also the expert support of the NHS to develop products that truly reflect patient need. We are delighted to launch the latest SBRI Healthcare competition particularly as it comes so close on the heels of our announcement that in the last year a record 44 companies benefitted from the scheme. I hope many more companies take a good look and apply.”
The competition theme areas have been chosen in partnership with the newly designated Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) across England and specifically for this programme; Child & Maternal Health - North West Coast; Integrated Care - South West Peninsula; Medicines Adherence - West of England/Wessex; Musculoskeletal - West Midlands; and Telehealth/Telecarecare for people with Learning Disabilities - Yorkshire Humber/North East.
The competition closes on July 10th, with winners announced in October. Briefing events for business to learn about the competition will take place on the June 3rd (Birmingham) and June 9th (Daresbury, Cheshire) 2014. To find out more visit www.sbrihealthcare.co.uk
About SBRI Healthcare www.sbrihealthcare.co.uk
The Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI Healthcare) is an NHS England initiative, championed by the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), whose role is to promote UK economic growth by spreading innovation and best practice across the NHS. The SBRI Healthcare competitions are launched on a biannual basis and result in fully funded development contracts between the awarded company and NHS England to meet known healthcare need.
Generally taking a three-phased development approach, projects start with a 6 month feasibility phase and can then move on to more detailed product development. Phase 1 contracts for feasibility testing are valued at up to £100,000 and last for six months. Phase 2 contracts for prototype development are worth up to £1 million over one year. Phase 3 contracts are intended to accelerate product adoption, with up to a further £1 million over 12 months, providing the opportunity for validation in NHS settings. While the public sector has the right to license the resultant technology, its intellectual property (IP) remains with the company, thereby enabling successful businesses to grow.
Funding for SBRI Healthcare has been secured from NHS England. The programme is directed by the Eastern Academic Health Science Network (EAHSN) on behalf of NHS England and the other regional AHSNs. Health Enterprise East is the management partner and supports the EAHSN to handle the applications, assessments and delivery against contracts.
Previous SBRI Healthcare competitions have called for technological and innovative solutions to, for example, change people’s behaviour in order to reduce the impact of obesity and alcohol related diseases, how to live well with dementia and improved medicine management.
About Academic Health Science Networks www.eahsn.org.uk
Academic Health Science Networks, of which there are 15 regionally based, have been recently designated to provide a systematic delivery mechanism for the local NHS, universities, public health and social care to work with industry to transform the identification, adoption and spread of proven innovations and best practice. SBRI Healthcare competition theme areas are chosen in partnership with the Academic Health Science Networks across England. The programme management is led by the Eastern Academic Health Science Network on behalf of NHS England.
About Health Enterprise East and Competition details www.hee.co.uk
Health Enterprise East Limited (HEE) is the NHS Innovation Hub for the East of England, and assists with accelerating the development and uptake of innovative MedTech products and services that improve the quality of healthcare delivery.
Having pioneered and successfully run the initiative for the East of England since its launch in 2009, HEE now oversees the national SBRI Healthcare programme bringing together businesses, the healthcare industry and the NHS. Information on future competitions can be found on the SBRI Healthcare and the Health Enterprise East websites.
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Contacts:
SBRI Healthcare
Nick Offer
Health Enterprise East
Email: nicholas.offer@hee.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 1223 597813
Media contact
Sarah Jeffery
Zyme Communications
E-mail: sarah.jeffery@zymecommunications.com
Phone: +44 (0) 7771 730919
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