A 'call to action' has been issued to seek new and improved ways of tackling one of the East Midlands' biggest healthcare challenges – diabetes. The National Diabetes Information Service has stated that over 280,000 people with the condition live in the East Midlands and it currently costs nearly £65 million every year in medicines alone.

The East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) today issued the call for proposals, with significant funding set aside to support innovative projects related to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

EMAHSN's call for proposals aims to identify innovations that can be quickly spread throughout the region, helping reduce diabetes and ease treatment, all with the focus on improving patients' lives.
The call has been issued to organisations from the NHS, third sector, social services, industry and academia, and it follows on from the region's second 'Innovation Exchange' event, which took place on 27th January 2015. Support could include:

• Funding for innovative products and services
• Market entry and expansion support services
• Networking and information provision
• Sign-posting and advice to help companies engage with the NHS.

EMAHSN Managing Director Professor Rachel Munton said: "There are over 280,000 people in the East Midlands with diabetes, and a further 240,000 with increased risk of developing the condition. This is a huge number and we'd like to help reverse that trend and help people who are currently living with the condition manage it better.

"There is an incredible amount of knowledge throughout the East Midlands and we have some funding available, plus access to vital expertise to support industry and the NHS to rapidly identify and spread innovative solutions which can really help patients."

Focusing on prevention, diagnosis and treatment, the event in Derbyshire was attended by over 150 people who are experts in the area of diabetes, including representatives from the NHS, patients, universities, diabetes charities and industry.

Diabetes is one of the priority areas of focus for the EMAHSN, an organisation that brings partners together to address major health challenges. In addition to diabetes other areas include cancer, stroke, liver disease, mental health and obesity.

The Innovation Exchange event was organised in partnership with the Leicester Diabetes Centre, the East Midlands Strategic Clinical Network and Medilink East Midlands and it was the first time in the East Midlands that experts came together to look at how proven innovations can help to address the diabetes challenge.

Further Innovation Exchanges will take place later this year details will be available on www.healthinnovation-em.org.uk once dates have been set.

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Note to editors:
The East Midlands Academic Health Science Network (EMAHSN) is one of 15 Academic Health Science Networks in England. EMAHSN brings together the NHS, universities, industry and social care to transform the health of the region's 4.5M residents and stimulate wealth. Current priorities focus on identifying and spreading innovations that address challenges including cancer, obesity, diabetes, mental health, respiratory disease, stroke, liver disease and support for frail older people.

For more information about the EMAHSN diabetes programme visit our diabetes pages.

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