Chaired by Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of NHS England, the NIA has recently unfurled its call for applications for the 2024 intake. The deadline? Mark your calendars for 22nd October 2023. This is not just another programme; it’s a golden ticket for health and social care innovators like you, who have proven solutions and are looking to scale them within the NHS.
Why should you, a HealthTech CEO or Founder, pay heed? Because the NIA is not just an accelerator; it’s a catalyst for change. Tailored education programmes, mentorship, venture capital investment support, and broader health system access are not mere perks but transformative tools designed to metamorphose your proven solutions into scalable innovations across NHS England. The NIA’s alums are a testament to its efficacy. From Locum’s Nest, which revolutionised healthcare staffing, to SkinVision, which is making strides in skin cancer tracking, the NIA has been the wind beneath the wings of groundbreaking solutions.
Launched in 2015, the NIA is the crown jewel of NHS’s innovation initiatives, supported by the Accelerated Access Collaborative and the Academic Health Science Network. It’s not just about scaling innovations; it’s about enhancing patient outcomes, benefiting staff, and growing employment in the UK. The accelerator works in close collaboration with NICE, NHS England, the Academic Health Science Network, the MHRA, and industry organisations to offer a bespoke programme that helps you develop a partnership-led roadmap for scaling across the health and social care ecosystem.
The NIA’s mentorship is unparalleled, offering an unrivalled group of mentors with an extensive understanding of essential health and social care challenges. It’s not just about growth; it’s about mature, sustainable growth. The NIA currently supports 34 NIA Fellows representing 34 innovations, with an additional 63 alumni. These members have collectively launched their solutions across 3,171 NHS sites, created 1,244 jobs, and won over 221 awards. The revenue generated in the UK from NIA innovations in the last year alone has surpassed over £18 million.
Successful applicants will not just be a part of a programme but will join a prestigious alumni network and peer community with lifelong access. The education programme provides insight into the NHS procurement process and pathway needs. The support is tailored to your requirements and knowledge gaps, focusing on you, the innovator, and your innovation.
The 2024 intake focuses on innovations that address health inequalities within themes like Maternity, Mental Health, Cancer, Respiratory Disease, Hypertension, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Oral Health, and Carbon Reduction. This is your chance to make a real impact, to be a part of something that transcends the ordinary and enters the realm of the extraordinary.
Konrad Dobschuetz, NHS Innovation Accelerator National Director, encapsulated the essence of the NIA when he said, “At the NIA, our core belief is that no one can solve health and social care’s biggest challenges alone.” This is a clarion call for collaborative and mutually supportive innovation. Professor Bola Owolabi, Director – Healthcare Inequalities, NHS England, also extolled the NIA as a world-leading programme that offers a unique positioning in several essential ways.
So, if you’re committed to creating an NHS that is fit for the future, this is your moment.
