PRESS RELEASE – New infrastructure to develop healthcare technologies and interventions for the NHS
23 January 2012 – Clinicians and researchers are invited to bid for infrastructure funding to support collaborations between the NHS and industry to lead to the development of medical devices and healthcare technologies.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) will establish Healthcare Technology Co-operatives (HTCs) to address clinical areas or themes of high morbidity and unmet need for NHS patients. The aim is to produce new technologies that improve treatment and quality of life.
This new scheme builds on learning from a pilot scheme that funded two HTCs from 2008. Their innovations include a dignity bidet commode developed for stroke survivors which won an NHS Innovation Award in 2009, and the APPEAR and SMART surgical procedures and instrumentation for bowel surgery which was awarded the prestigious Cutlers’ Surgical Award in 2011.
Led by a clinical director, each NIHR HTC will involve multidisciplinary teams, working collaboratively with industry, patient groups, academic researchers and charities. HTCs will be expected to build networks with a broad range of stakeholders including the NIHR infrastructure and to work closely with the NIHR Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure (NOCRI).
Professor Dame Sally C. Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health said:
“The National Institute for Health Research Healthcare Technology Co-operatives competition announced today will help to identify clinical issues from a front line service perspective and devise technology-based solutions to address them.
“These centres of expertise will act as a catalyst for the development of much-needed new medical devices, healthcare technologies and/or technology-dependent interventions.”
The initiative also supports the Government’s Strategy for the Life Sciences which aims to provide a better environment for life sciences, improve the lives of patients and contribute to the UK’s economic growth, enabling patients to access novel treatments earlier.
NIHR HTCs will operate within the evolving NHS innovation landscape and the implementation of the NHS Chief Executive’s review: “Innovation Health and Wealth – accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS”. They will be expected to engage with the proposed Academic Health Science Networks and local showcase hospital programmes, where appropriate, as they develop.
The closing date for submission of the Pre-Qualifying Questionnaire by NHS Trusts in England is 19 April 2012 at 5pm.
A briefing meeting for potential applicants will be held on the 29 February 2012 at the Department of Health (Richmond House). Up to two people can attend per organisation. Details of how to register for this event can be found on the NIHR website at: http://www.ccf.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/HTCCompetition.aspx.
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Notes to Editors:
Information on how to apply for NIHR Funding for HTCs can be found on the NIHR CCF website at: http://www.ccf.nihr.ac.uk/Pages/HTCCompetition.aspx .
New Strategy for Life Sciences
On 5 December 2011 the Prime Minister launched a new Strategy for UK Life Sciences which aims to continue the country’s record of world-leading innovation in life sciences. In the strategy, the Government describes how it aims to provide a better environment for life sciences, to improve the lives of patients and contribute to economic growth. The strategy highlights the important contribution NIHR research makes to innovation in life sciences, and sets out a number of key actions where NIHR is leading. A summary of the investments and policies to support UK life sciences are described in Investing in UK Health and Life Sciences, available from: http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/uk-life-sciences-get-government-cash-boost/
The full range of policies and actions that support the Government’s strategy are described in detail within two documents:
1) The Strategy for UK Life Sciences: http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/innovation/docs/s/11-1429-strategy-for-uk-life-sciences
2) NHS chief Executive’s review: Innovation Health and Wealth – accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_131299
About the Healthcare Technology Co-operatives pilot
The new NIHR HTC scheme announced today builds on learning from a pilot scheme that funded two HTCs from 2008 under the umbrella of the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme. More details are available at: http://www.ccf.nihr.ac.uk/i4i/
About the NIHR
The National Institute for Health Research provides the framework through which the research staff and research infrastructure of the NHS in England is positioned, maintained and managed as a national research facility. The NIHR provides the NHS with the support and infrastructure it needs to conduct first-class research funded by the Government and its partners alongside high-quality patient care, education and training. Its aim is to support outstanding individuals (both leaders and collaborators), working in world class facilities (both NHS and university), conducting leading edge research focused on the needs of patients. http://www.nihr.ac.uk/
For further information please contact:
Georgia Gale Grant, Research Communications Manager
NIHR Central Commissioning Facility
Email: georgia.galegrant@nihr-ccf.org.uk Direct dial: 020 8843 8073
