Innovating to meet healthcare needs

This year’s programme has focused on new solutions for cardiovascular disease and other long-term conditions, while last year the programme looked at healthcare associated infections.

Smart Solutions for Healthcare is an NHS programme, developed by TrusTECH, part of the North West NHS Innovation Hub network, to help the NHS make improvements, in line with the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention (QIPP) challenge. The programme was launched in January 2011 to find innovations to help in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and other long-term conditions. It follows the success of the 2010 programme which focussed on innovative solutions to help combat healthcare associated infections (HCAIs). The Smart Solutions for Healthcare programme invited companies and other non-NHS organisations to help meet the challenge of delivering high quality care in a tighter economic climate. Successful programme applicants are given the opportunity to have their innovations evaluated in a suitable clinical setting to assist in developing their evidence base. The successful new technologies, devices and services will be required to help change the way healthcare is delivered. The programme is specifically interested in new technologies, products, services and the application of scientific advances that enable patients to have a greater role in managing their own health, or help healthcare providers improve staff productivity and eliminate waste while maintaining and/or improving the quality of healthcare. Smart Solutions for Healthcare considers all of these factors, as well as disruptive system changes, which should aim to offer entirely new approaches to diagnosis and treatment, giving the patient more control of their care pathway as well as offering potential cost-savings for the healthcare provider.

Areas of interest