INSIGHTS / News

SETsquared, the world’s number one university business incubator, is backing funding for the development of web, mobile and tablet technologies to improve patient care and health service provision.

The South West Interactive Healthcare Programme has pledged £500,000 for creative and digital companies to support the development of innovative healthcare solutions.

Investment funding, between £25,000 to £50,000, will be available from Creative England’s regional growth fund to small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) for the development of innovative digital technology.

It aims to improve cross-sector collaborations, while opening up new opportunities for creative professionals to work with business clusters in the healthcare sector. 

SETsquared partners from Bath, Bristol and Exeter universities will work in conjunction with the South West and West of England Academic Health Science Networks (AHSN) and Creative England to implement the initiative.

Business experts from SETsquared will offer support and accelerator services to eligible SMEs in return for a discounted monthly membership fee.

Simon Bond, Innovation Director at SETsquared, welcomed the funding launch on 27 June. He said: “SETsquared is delighted to be working in collaboration with our South West Interactive Healthcare Programme partners on this exciting project which promises to improve the wellbeing of patients receiving regional healthcare.

“We look forward to working with creative and digital companies on developing new technologies that will provide solutions to health service priorities in the South West.

“These could include innovations that will enable healthcare workers to work more effectively with patients and their families, through ‘smart’ homes technologies, for example.

“We hope that the funding will give a real boost to health service provision in the South West and allow patients and their carers to manage their health and wellbeing more independently.”

Professor Lars Sundstrom, Director of Enterprise at West of England AHSN, said: “By working in partnership across the entire South West, we can offer clear advantages of scale to companies that need to demonstrate market traction, as well as supporting our members to explore innovative ways of delivering better care via the systematic uptake of innovation.”

The NHS has recognised the need for more effective information sharing through digital technology in order to optimise the future health and wellbeing of the population. It is looking for solutions that support its work, in particular for long-term conditions and mental health, through the following themes:

• To enable the health and care workforce, patients and their carers and families to work more effectively in care settings. 

For example, by providing real time, mobile data that integrates with a mobile workforce.

• To enable patients to manage their health and wellbeing independently. 

For example, by self-management and monitoring, using digital health solutions or technologies such as apps or social media.

• To influence and incentivise behaviour to improve health outcomes. For example, by connecting patients with their electronic health record available from their GP.  

Applications for funding will be assessed on a rolling basis and the fund will close on Friday 30 September 2016.

For more information visit the Creative England website http://www.creativeengland.co.uk/story/interactive-healthcare-fund or to make an application, go to http://applications.creativeengland.co.uk/application/208