SEHTA (South East Health Technology Alliance), KSS AHSN (Kent, Surrey & Sussex Academic Health (Science Network) and Wessex AHSN (Wessex Academic Health Science Network) recently held a workshop on the SBRI Healthcare Funding for COPD on 8th October 2013 at the Holiday Inn Gatwick, attended by over 30 companies including one who had flown in from Boston especially for the event! A total of 22 one to one meetings were also arranged for companies to meet clinicians and SBRI experts.
This event enabled organizations based in the South East region to learn more about the SBRI on COPD competition, hear from the clinicians, and meet with clinicians & AHSN representatives. Speakers included Karen Livingstone, NHS England Director, SBRI & EAHSN Director of Industry, Robert Berry, KSS AHSN, and Consultant Respiratory Physicans Prof. Anoop Chauhan and Dr Jo Congelton.
The Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI Healthcare) is an NHS England initiative, championed by the newly formed Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), who aim to promote UK economic growth whilst addressing unmet health needs and enhancing the take up of known best practice. The SBRI on COPD is part of the recently-launched new competition to fund ideas to develop innovative products and services that address unmet health needs.
SBRI healthcare competitions provide seed funding for the development of novel solutions to major healthcare challenges. In this new round of competitions, SBRI Healthcare will be looking for companies specifically focused on driving towards better health outcomes for patients across seven categories; Cancer, Cardiovascular, COPD, Diabetes, Mental Health/Dementia, Patient Safety and Research Tools.
The Prime Minister’s UK Strategy for Health Innovation and Life Sciences Innovation, Health and Wealth* (IHW) – set the approach for innovation in the reformed NHS, making a commitment to double investment in the SBRI programme to address healthcare challenges, encourage greater competition in procurement of services and drive growth in the UK Small and Medium size Enterprises (SME) sector. Investing £17.6 million to date in support of 66 SMEs, the further £5 million in funding is recognition of the value small businesses bring to the NHS to help them deliver new technologies to patients and for these to be adopted widely across the NHS. For further information please click here
To view the speaker presentations from the event please click here