NHS funding for mental health and palliative care innovations

21 Oct 13

Eight small firms have been awarded NHS funds to develop innovative products and services for people with mental illnesses and those approaching the end of their lives.

The Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare today said the eight projects had been selected for funding because of their potential value to the health service and improved outcomes for patients.

Each will receive around £73,000 for a six-month development phase. Those that demonstrate best value and greatest technical feasibility will progress to a second phase and receive further support and funding. Around £5m is available for both phases of the competition from NHS England.

Karen Livingstone, director of SBRI Healthcare, said: ‘The importance of new technologies in these key health areas cannot be underestimated. The successful companies will be developing products to support patients to manage pain, share family moments and prepare for their final days as part of the end of life competition.

‘In the area of mental health, we had some highly innovative games for young people experiencing mental health challenges and bespoke usable apps that will support people in the breadth of their lives to feel able to manage these conditions for themselves.’

The programme is being directed by the Eastern Academic Health Science Network on behalf of the NHS.

The eight winning companies are: Big White Wall (London); Dynamic Health Systems (Bradford); University of Bristol (Bristol); Dorset Mental Health Forum (Dorchester); St Joseph’s Hospice (London); Advanced Digital Institute (Shipley, West Yorkshire); GreyMatters (Newcastle-upon-Tyne); and Docobo (Bookham, Surrey).

  • Vivienne Russell
    Vivienne Russell is managing editor of Public Finance magazine and publicfinance.co.uk

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