NHS offers fast track package for innovations

If so, consider applying to the NHS Innovations Accelerator programme, which aims to speed up the development, expansion and uptake of healthcare innovations.

This year the annual scheme, which is run by NHS England and a network of academic health science centres, is open to innovations that address one or more of the priorities in the NHS Long Term Plan.

Applicants must also demonstrate that their innovations are

• evidence-based
• provide significant outcomes
• significantly reduce costs
• ready to roll out across the NHS

Rachel Newton, CSP head of policy, said: ‘This is a great opportunity for anyone who has developed a healthcare innovation that could be scaled up and used more widely.

'The commitments set out by the Long Term Plan require rapid change and new ways of working, and that makes new ideas, devices and developments more important than ever before - so I would encourage CSP  members to make the most of this opportunity and submit their innovations.’

Mentorship, learning and financial support

Successful applicants will have access to

• mentorship from a range of experts and high profile mentors
• a bursary of up to £20,000 to help widen the reach of their innovation
• workshops and webinars on key topics, such as coaching, mentoring,  intellectual property, leadership, resilience, business models and  business case development
• quarterly learning events that include inspirational speakers
• peer to peer learning and support

Apply from September

Applications for the NHS Innovations Accelerator scheme open on 4 September and close on 23 October.

Accelerated physiotherapy innovations

CSP members who have previously taken part in the programme include Michael Hurley, a physiotherapist and clinical researcher, who developed the ESCAPE-Pain  [Enabling Self-management and Coping with Arthritic Pain using Exercise] programme.

Professor Hurley joined the scheme in 2017 to increase national uptake of his exercise-based group rehab programme, which improves function by integrating exercise, education and self-management strategies into sessions that aim to dispel inappropriate health beliefs, change behaviour and encourage regular physical activity. 

Another physiotherapy-related innovation helped by the programme is MIRA, a medical device that uses motion-tracking sensors to gamify physical therapy and increase patient compliance.

The software, which was developed by physical therapist Cosmin Mihaiu, enables therapists to create personalised, tailored exercise programmes, which can be ‘played’ by patients in a clinic or at home.

It also features real-time remote monitoring, which allows therapists to evaluate a patient's home activity and adherence to prescribed ‘exergames’ [exercises incorporated into video games].

Innovations database

CSP members can also share their innovations on the Innovations Database