Regional Innovation Funds

Regional Innovation Funds are a new model of funding aimed at encouraging innovation in healthcare.

Funding can be given for minor changes in existing services or processes, or the introduction of new services or more radical changes in working practices.

The Funds will focus largely on promoting innovation in healthcare delivery, health improvement, and patient engagement rather than the development of new medicines or devices where funds are already available.

The total value of the Funds will be £220m over the 5-year period, starting in 2009/10. This comprises approximately £20 million in 2009/10, and £50m per year for the following four years.  Each SHA will have access to an equal proportion of the fund each year. 

Promoting innovation in the NHS

Together with The Young Foundation, we’re acting as specialist advisors to support Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) in assessing and developing proposals submitted to the Funds.

A total of £220 million is being made available to SHAs over the next five years to support improvements in NHS working practices, and their adoption and spread throughout the NHS. Just a small amount of support from the Funds will make a big difference to support staff working within the service to get their ideas off the ground.

The Funds aim to:

• break down organisational barriers to thinking differently;
• release individual and organisational creativity;
• encourage operational management at local level to think beyond "how to deliver the same service more efficiently/effectively";
• encourage cross-disciplinary and cross organisational initiatives; and
• increase the capacity of the NHS to adopt new ideas whether generated locally or elsewhere.

Who can apply to the Regional Innovation Funds?

The Funds are open to the widest range of applicants. These could be a team of NHS staff or individuals, or any type of NHS organisation, including SHAs, Trusts, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and GPs practices. Non-NHS organisations, e.g. social enterprises or universities, can partner with an NHS organisation to bid for funding. In the future, non-NHS organisations may be able to bid independently for funds.

How will funding be awarded?

Decisions about regional innovation funding will be made at a local level. An independent expert panel will assess local applications and make awards. The decision-making process is commercially rigorous and all the projects are followed up to ensure they have delivered benefits; these could be health, social or financial return on investment.

How to apply

Details of how to apply for funding from the Regional Innovation Funds will be published by your local Strategic Health Authority. 

Please note - applications and enquiries should NOT be directed to NESTA.  We are advising the SHAs, not administering the fund.