NHS Innovation Accelerator Opens with a Focus on COVID-19

The NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) is a NHS England initiative, delivered in partnership with the 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs).

This NIA Call will select up to 12 Fellows with evidence-based innovations that are ready to scale for patient, population and NHS benefit. The NIA is open to all types of innovation (including digital, medtech, workforce and models of care) and welcomes applicants across a range of professional backgrounds.

The Call has aligned with the current NHS priorities of COVID-19 Reset and Recovery. As such, applications must address at least one of the following themes:

The NHS Response to COVID-19.

Mental Health.

The NHS Workforce.

Additionally, applicants are asked to demonstrate how their innovation addresses health inequalities, either by actively minimising inequality or by proactively ensuring the innovation does not exacerbate inequality.

Applicants, nationally and internationally, can be clinicians; academics; from a public-sector, charitable or not-for-profit organisation; from a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME); or from a large corporate.

Fellows will have access to a bursary of up to £20,000 that can be used to support the scaling of the innovation and for travel and subsistence for participation at NIA events.

All applications must be submitted through the NIA application portal by the deadline of 16 October 2020 (23:59).

A Q&A webinar will take place on 22 September (14:00-15:00 BST).

More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.