SBRI Healthcare, an NHS England funded initiative to develop innovative products and services that address unmet health needs, today announced the launch of its latest clinically-led competition which aims to help develop solutions that improve patients’ lives and support NHS efficiency. In this latest round, SBRI Healthcare is offering companies each up to £100,000 Phase 1 feasibility funding to develop products that reduce the current pressures put on urgent and emergency care services.

The number of attendances at A&E has risen significantly in the last decade putting pressure on urgent and emergency care services and increasing waiting times. 21.7 million visited A&E in the last year*, a greater than 30% rise in the last decade. More than 70% of hospital bed days are occupied by A&E admissions and 80% of A&E admissions who stay for more than two weeks are patients aged over 65.

“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,” commented Karen Livingstone, Director of SBRI Healthcare. “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. We welcome bids from all sectors and are particularly keen to invite companies working in non-health fields to consider whether the technologies they are developing could be applied to the challenges we face for urgent care.”

SBRI Healthcare competition theme areas are chosen in partnership with the Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) across England and this programme is jointly led by South West and Greater Manchester AHSNs.

In the last year, SBRI Healthcare has launched 10 new clinically-led competitions and awarded £22.4 million to 60 companies to develop products focused on specific NHS unmet need.

This latest competition closes on 17 November 2015 with winners announced in March 2016. Briefing events for businesses to learn about the competition will take place on 13 October in Manchester and 21 October in Bristol.

To find out more visit www.sbrihealthcare.co.uk
Contacts:
SBRI Healthcare
Chris Armstrong
Health Enterprise East
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Phone: +44 (0) 1223 597813

Media contact
Sarah Jeffery
Zyme Communications
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Phone: +44 (0) 7771 730919

About SBRI Healthcare

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.ahsnnetwork.com

There are 15 AHSNs across England. They connect academics, NHS, researchers and industry to accelerate the process of innovation and facilitate the adoption and spread of innovative ideas and technologies across large populations. They are driven by two imperatives: improving health and generating economic growth in their regions. SBRI Healthcare competitions are designed, supported and promoted in partnership with the AHSNs

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.

*Kings Fund 2013/14 figures