With the NHS facing unprecedented financial squeeze, improving the flow of patients, information and resources is crucial for driving up service quality and productivity, and improving patient experience. Acute trusts are experiencing significant challenges as a result of the high volume of patients leading to congestion and crisis points in many hospitals.

On 24th January 2017, SBRI Healthcare announced eight companies will receive funding to develop innovations that aim to improve operational efficiency in acute care through the management of patient flow. The successful technologies focus on activities that will enable more efficient progress through acute care, including diagnostics, therapy and discharge.


With awards of up to £100,000 each, the successful companies (and supporting Academic Health Science Network are:

• Hospital Discharge Efficiency: Care Sourcer Ltd (Scotland) and IEG4 Ltd (Greater Manchester AHSN)
• Hospital In-Patient Journey: 6.P.M. Management Consultancy (UK) Ltd (Eastern AHSN) and PMD Device Solutions Ltd (Ireland)
• Hospital Resource Usage: BeamLine Diagnostics Ltd (Oxford AHSN), Highland Biosciences Ltd (Scotland), Nervecentre Software Ltd (Oxford AHSN) and Sepsis Ltd (Greater Manchester AHSN)

Shirlene Oh, Director of Commerce at Imperial College Health Partners commented: “Media reports have stated that hospitals across the country are under significant pressure during the winter period. AHSNs are working together to find innovative solutions which address patient flow through hospital systems and acute care. The eight successful companies are developing exciting approaches to support the NHS in responding to these challenges.”

Paul Volkaerts, Chief Executive Officer at Nervecentre Software said: “There are three pillars to maximising hospital capacity - efficient allocation of beds, understanding and managing the condition of patients, and the focus of staff upon a prioritised set of activities. We are already working with 30 Trusts and with the support of SBRI Healthcare, we can continue developing our right clinician, right place, right time concept, and translate this into effective capacity management.

SBRI Healthcare is an NHS England initiative, led by the country’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), that co-develops innovative products to address unmet health needs.

The programme works with leading healthcare players to identify areas where technology can be applied to address major healthcare challenges. The eight successful projects have been selected on their potential value to the health service and on the improved outcomes delivered to patients. The companies will be supported and fully funded to demonstrate the technical feasibility of their proposed concept for a six month development phase. Those businesses demonstrating best value and greatest technical feasibility at this stage (phase 1) will progress through (phase 2) to be further supported and funded to take their technologies through to commercialisation.

To find out more visit www.sbrihealthcare.co.uk