A 'call to action' has been issued to seek innovative solutions to one of the East Midlands' biggest healthcare challenges - cancer - which every year affects 23,000 people across the region.

The East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) today issued the call for proposals, with funding of up to £300,000 available for innovative projects related to the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

The call has been issued to organisations from the NHS, third sector, social services, industry and academia, and it follows on from EMAHSN's first 'Innovation Exchange' event, which took place earlier this month.

Focusing on cancer diagnosis and treatment, the event in Nottingham on 1 December was attended by over 150 of the people who are leading the approach to address the needs of people with cancer, including representatives from the NHS, universities, patients, cancer charities and industry. Cancer is one of the priority areas of focus for the East Midlands Academic Health Science Network, an organisation that brings together the NHS, universities, industry and social care to transform the health of our 4.5m East Midlands residents and stimulate wealth creation.

Other EMAHSN clinical priorities include stroke rehabilitation, mental health, frail older people, diabetes and obesity.

The Innovation Exchange event was organised in partnership with the East Midlands NHS Strategic Clinical Networks and Medilink East Midlands and it was the first time in the East Midlands that experts from all sectors have come together to address the cancer challenge.

EMAHSN's call for proposals aims to identify proven innovations that can be quickly spread throughout the region; improving health outcomes and patient experience as well as delivering greater efficiencies. Support could include:

• Assessment and evaluation of projects
• Promotion of successful projects across the region and beyond
• Overcoming barriers to putting innovations into practice

EMAHSN Managing Director Professor Rachel Munton said: "Cancer is a huge health challenge for our region: one in three people in the East Midlands are likely to be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lives and a quarter will not survive.

"There is tremendous expertise throughout the East Midlands and we have funding available to support industry and the NHS to rapidly identify and spread innovative solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

"The call for proposals is the first in a series linked to our Innovation Exchange Events that aim to build shared understanding, develop collaboration and address the region's biggest healthcare challenges."

The next Innovation Exchange will take place in January and will focus on diabetes prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

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Main photo from left to right: Martin Hindle, Independent Chair EMAHSN, Julie Wolfarth, EM PPI Senate, Dr Stephen Ryder, Consultant Hepatologist, Nottingham University Hospitals & Clinical Director EM SCN, Sir Neil McKay, Rachel Munton, Managing Director, EMAHSN, Chris Hart, Commercial Director, EMAHSN, Jane Rudge, Senior Macmillan Development Manager, Macmillan and Prof Poulam Patel, Professor of Clinical Oncology, University of Nottingham & Clinical Research Lead NIHR CRN