30.09.15
‘Radical’ solutions to strained urgent care services in NHS could scoop £100,000 funding
Companies with “progressive and radical” ideas for products that could reduce pressure on urgent and emergency care services can bid for a £100,000 cash prize, in a competition launched by SBRI Healthcare.
The NHS England-funded initiative is aimed at developing innovative services to address health needs, and is offering successful companies up to £100,000 ‘phase 1 feasibility funding’ to develop their ideas.
Karen Livingstone, SBRI Healthcare director, said: “The NHS is looking at progressive and radical ways to reshape the way urgent and emergency care is delivered with vanguard sites leading the way in testing new solutions. With pressure on these services growing, we want to ensure that the innovative companies are enabled to develop their ideas and solutions.
“The new competition invites companies to specifically turn their minds to developing products that will help patients, clinicians and managers deliver high-quality and efficient urgent and emergency care.”
Bids from all sectors are welcome, particularly from companies working in non-health fields whose budding technologies could be applied to challenges within the NHS.
This competition was based on figures from the King’s Fund showing that the number of A&E attendances has “risen significantly” in the last decade, in turn putting increased pressure on emergency care services. More than 70% of hospital bed days are occupied by A&E admissions and 90% of admissions who stay for more than two weeks are of patients aged over 65.
The competition closes on 17 November and winners will be announced in March 2016, but briefing events for businesses to learn more about it will take place on 13 October in Manchester and 21 October in Bristol.
Last year, the initiative launched 10 competitions with a combined value of £22.4m awarded to 60 companies to develop services tackling specific unmet clinical needs.
The latest winner, PolyPhotonix Ltd, developed a light therapy sleep mask, Nocturna 400, to prevent and treat diabetic retinopathy. The company estimates that the solution – a non-invasive, patient-centred treatment – could save the NHS £1bn annually, as it can be delivered at the fraction of the cost of existent interventions.
The sleep mask received almost £1.5m throughout all phases of its development as part of a competition aimed at improving the health of people with long-term conditions. It is expected to be approved by NICE by the end of 2015.
Competition themes are chosen in partnership with the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) across England, with this programme being jointly led by South West and Greater Manchester AHSNs.
To find out more, visit their website.
NHE interviewed Karen Livingstone and reported on SBRI Healthcare’s mission last year: From brainstorm to bedside: turning innovative ideas into NHS reality