Women’s and Children’s Innovation Challenges, call for 2022 proposals

The Scottish Health Industry Partnership (SHIP) have announced they are funding Open Innovation Challenges in Women’s and Children’s Health. Selected challenges will support industry partners to work with clinical teams to develop innovative solutions to key clinical priorities.

Proposals for Challenges are now invited from clinical teams or consortia across Scotland, with successful proposals set to be advertised to prospective industry partners later in the year.

A total of £500,000 has been made available for industry partners to co-develop new solutions with clinical project teams, supported by their Regional Innovation Hubs at all stages of the process, including help with developing initial proposals.

Dr Neil Patel, Clinical Lead at the West of Scotland Innovation Hub and Consultant Neonatologist at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “This is a hugely exciting opportunity for those interested in using innovation to develop new technology-based solutions to the challenges faced in Women’s and Children’s Health.

“Innovation Challenges enable clinical teams to define the challenges we want to solve for our patients, and to connect with the best industry partners who can help us do this. The aim is to co-develop cutting-edge technologies to improve the lives of our patients and grow Scotland's reputation as a global leader in digital health”.

To submit an Innovation Challenge proposal, please complete the online Expression of Interest form here by Thursday 30^th June 5pm. All submissions will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive an email please

For more information please contact the Women’s and Children’s Innovation Team (Innovation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk) for a Women’s and Children’s Innovation Proposal Pack.

We also recommend that you also speak to your Regional Innovation Test Bed / Hub for assistance with your proposal:

North Regional Innovation Hub / Test Bed: www.nhsgrampian.org/innovation-hub

Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES, SE Regional Innovation Hub): innovations@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

West of Scotland Innovation Hub: Innovation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

Key dates:

Closing date for Expressions of Interest: Thursday 30^th June 5pm, 2022.
Selection of proposals for Open Innovation Challenges: Early August 2022.
Development of selected Challenge Statements: August 2022
Advertisement of Open Innovation Challenges to industry partners: October 2022
Close of Innovation Challenge and selection of industry partners: December 2022
Co-design of innovation solutions with industry partners: January 2023 onwards (typically 6-12 months).

The call for Innovation Challenges co-incides with the opening of the NHS Scotland Innovation Fellowships. Innovation Fellowships can provide dedicated time, training, and support to enable clinicians to lead development and implementation of innovation in collaboration with industry partners. The Fellowship scheme aims to strengthen the innovation culture into solve real problems in the NHS and social care, improving the quality, efficiency and sustainability of health and care delivery and supporting NHS Scotland’s Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design Framework.

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