Technology to improve patient care: apply for contracts

20 Mar 2017 09:44 AM

Organisations can apply for funding to develop technology and digital platforms to improve care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease

NHS Scotland, working with Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Government, has up to £400,000 to invest in projects that use technology and digital platforms to support and manage inflammatory bowel disease.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease. They are lifelong conditions that affect 300,000 people across the UK and have a significant impact on life opportunities.

Treatment is traditionally given in outpatient clinics. For patients living in the north of Scotland this can mean regularly travelling long distances to access care.

Remote monitoring and better communication is seen as a way of improving patients’ lives.

The competition is looking for proposals that:

• help patients manage their health from home
• promote independence and support people to be more involved in decisions about their care
• facilitate easier and quicker communication with clinicians

This competition is funded under SBRI (the Small Business Research Initiative) and will have 3 phases – feasibility study, prototype development and pre-commercial testing.

Competition information

• the competition opens on 20 March 2017, and the deadline for registration is at midday on 10 May 2017
• the competition is open to any organisation that can demonstrate a route to market, working either alone or with partners
• we expect feasibility projects to range in size to a total cost of £15,000 and to last up to 8 weeks
• we expect prototype projects to range in size to a total cost of £45,000 and to last up to 6 months
• we expect pre-commercial testing projects to range in size to a total cost of £75,000 and to last up to 1 year
• projects will attract 100% funded development contracts
• a briefing event will be held in Inverness on 4 April 2017