Launching the national Innovation Exchange
A new online gateway for innovators has been launched by the AHSN Network, streamlining access to support from teams of experts across the country.
The national Innovation Exchange is tailored for innovators, providing insights from NHS teams on the big challenges they face, innovation success stories and links to key players in the health innovation sector.
Watch a short video here ►
Visit the website here ►
In the North West Coast, the Innovation Agency offers its own portal for innovators and NHS – the Innovation Agency Exchange, which has been refreshed this summer. This combines a summary of needs from NHS and social care in the region; plus a ‘catalogue’ of products and technologies filtered by clinical need.
Find out more here ►
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Podcast on healthy ageing
An AHSN Network Innovation Exchange podcast on healthy ageing is now available on the website. Host Dr Hasan Chowhan discusses healthy ageing with NHS Clinical Director for Older People, Martin Vernon, and we hear from innovators from around the country with an array of life-changing solutions – including Safe Steps, which has been supported by the Innovation Agency.
Listen here ►
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Introducing the AAC
The Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) is the umbrella body across the UK health innovation eco-system, providing more joined-up support for innovators and setting the strategy for innovation in the health system.
The AAC is a national partnership of organisations including NHS England, Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, NICE, NHS Improvement and the AHSNs.
Read more here ► 
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Spreading 'rapid uptake' products
Products backed by the AAC for rapid uptake are being spread in the North West Coast with support from the Innovation Agency’s Transformation Team.
Successful bids to the AAC Pathway Transformation Fund will help to spread two products in Cheshire and Merseyside – troponin and Urolift, using a clinical learning set approach. Our next bid in the autumn phase of the funding will support the spread of Placental Growth Factor, testing for pre-eclampsia in pregnant women.
More info about the products here ►
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Diversity and innovation
The Innovation Agency and fellow AHSNs have launched a report celebrating the role of innovators from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. It includes a number of pledges which we have agreed as actions to increase diversity in innovation leadership, so that the new products and technologies that we support more accurately reflect the needs of the population.
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AHSNs working for a safer future
Two reports highlighting the patient safety work of the Innovation Agency and fellow Academic Health Science Networks have been published by the AHSN Network.
‘Patient safety in partnership: Our plan for a safer future 2019-2025’ has been developed to support the NHS Patient Safety Strategy published in July, and details how AHSNs will work more closely with health and care organisations to improve safety both in hospitals and community-based services, such as care homes.
Over 30 good practice case studies of their work in the community have also been collated in a report, ‘Improving safety in care homes’. They include case studies in medicines safety, dementia, monitoring and screening, and workforce development.
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Call for new NHS Innovation Fellows
A call is being made to innovators to join the NHS Innovation Accelerator, an NHS England initiative supported by the country’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs).
It is open to local, national and international health and industry innovators, small businesses, charity/third sector, clinicians and academics.
Learn more about the application process here ►
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Innovators magazine
Innovators whose products are helping to transform healthcare are featured in the latest AHSN Network Innovators magazine. It includes an update on the continuing growth of Inovus Medical of St Helens.
Read the magazine here ►
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New Liverpool base
Please note we have moved our Liverpool base, from the Accelerator building to Liverpool Science Park. The address, phone number and parking information can be found on our website Contact us page. Our other offices are unchanged, at Sci Tech Daresbury and at Preston Business Centre.
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Dr Liz Mear assumes two new roles
Innovation Agency chief executive Dr Liz Mear has taken on two new roles. Liz has been appointed as non- executive director of Health Education England (HEE), the body responsible for NHS staffing, training and development.
She has also joined the main board of Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), championing the health and life sciences sector.
Read more here ►
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Excellence in Supply Awards shortlist
The shortlist has been announced for this year’s NHS in the North Excellence in Supply Awards, celebrating inspirational examples of businesses, third sector organisations and the NHS working together to provide great patient care in the North of England.
Details of the finalists can be found here ►
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Mental health support for Cheshire schoolchildren
A new approach to wellbeing is teaching emotional intelligence, resilience, empathy and self-awareness to schoolchildren in Cheshire – with the aim of helping young people improve their mental health.
Read more here ►
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Health tech companies land European funding
Two North West entrepreneurs are among the winners of a European health tech funding competition. Xploro, a digital therapeutics platform developed in Manchester, and Triple Tread®, a high performance tricycle manufacturer based in Congleton, were both winners in the final round of the European Institute of Technology’s (EIT) Health Headstart Awards.
Read more here ►
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New network will tackle regional health inequalities
The Innovation Agency is part of a new network focusing on applied health and social care research.
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) new Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) are based on the same regions as England’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks and the Innovation Agency will work closely with the North West Coast ARC.
Read more here ►
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Bringing more companies into the NHS
The Innovation Agency is successfully supporting small businesses to make inroads into the NHS market, according to a Lancaster University report.
However, innovative small businesses continue to face obstacles in bringing their products and technologies to the NHS, despite the best efforts of programmes designed to help them.
Read more here ►
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Inovus secures £1m funding for SBRI Healthcare
St Helens-based surgical training device manufacturer Inovus Medical has secured £1 million from SBRI Healthcare, an NHS programme supported by the Innovation Agency and the wider AHSN Network.
The funding is to develop the company’s augmented reality laparoscopic simulator, which was backed in its earliest stages by an initial £100,000 from SBRI Healthcare.
Read more here ►
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ECO 19: Care closer to home
Our latest Ecosystem event focussed on bringing care closer to home through digital technologies. The insights and information from speakers and exhibitors is contained in a handy short summary which includes links to presentation podcasts, video interviews and slides.
Download a copy here ►
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Events
Innovation Scouts relaunched
11 September, 10am - webinar
Our community of Innovation Scouts is being relaunched to include both clinical and social entrepreneurs.
Join an information webinar here ►
LCR Health Matters launch
17 September, 5.30-8pm, Redmonds Building, LJMU
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram and Liz Mear will launch the new ERDF-funded business support programme in Liverpool City Region, in which we are a partner along with Liverpool John Moores University and the Liverpool LEP. The focus in this programme will be on validation of products in a real world setting.
ECO 20: Empowering care homes through innovation and improvement
25 September, 9.30am - 1pm, Hilton Hotel, Liverpool
Our next Ecosystem event will explore digital, quality improvement and leadership initiatives for empowering both staff and residents in care homes.
NHS Forest conference 2019
11 October, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool
We are sponsoring this NHS Forest 10th anniversary conference as part of our commitment to Liverpool City Region Year of the Environment. There are limited spaces available.
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THE BIG INNOVATION CONVERSATION
Care homes
12 September, 12.30pm
Our next Big Innovation Conversation will focus on improving the identification of deterioration in care homes. We will hear about RESTORE2, a physical deterioration and escalation tool for care and nursing homes. Speakers include Matthew Inada-Kim, National Clinical Lead for Deterioration at NHS Improvement; and Jane Mastin, Public Health Nurse, Lancashire County Council.
Listen to our last BIG INNOVATION CONVERSATION
Care closer to home
Hosted by our Lancashire Commercial Programme Manager Steve Adams, this discussion focused on a number of companies with innovations designed to limit urgent care demands in community settings.
Listen now ►
Password: eTt6RPnD
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