The deadline for applications to the NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) programme has been extended to 16 August.

Every year, the NIA looks for the best national and international healthcare innovators, with funding and expert support for selected 'fellows'.

In its first year, the 17 fellows who joined the programme received support to take their high impact innovations to more than 60 NHS organisations, raising over £8m in funding.  To date, these innovations have benefited more than three million patients.  

The fellows include two from the East Midlands, Dr Neil Guha who is leading EMAHSN’s Scarred Liver project and Paul Volkaerts who founded Nervecentre Software Ltd.

The fellows receive funding and mentoring support to spread their innovations nationally and the aim is to help introduce new innovations that can improve patient care and help put the NHS on a financially sustainable footing.

For details of how to apply visit the NHS England website and follow @NHSAccelerator.

The NIA is hosted by UCLPartners AHSN in partnership with NHS England and in collaboration with all Academic Health Science Networks nationally.