A new, open, two-stage competition to designate and fund National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Healthcare Technology Co-operatives (HTCs) has now opened.
The scheme aims to provide NIHR infrastructure funding for NHS Organisations to act as centres of expertise to develop new concepts, demonstrate proof of principle and devise research protocols in order for new medical devices, healthcare technologies or technology-dependent interventions. NIHR HTCs will address clinical areas or themes of high morbidity and unmet need for NHS patients and healthcare technology users, which have not benefited from a high degree of innovation.
The aims of the NIHR Healthcare Technology Co-operatives will be to:
- act as a catalyst for NHS “pull” for the development of new medical devices, healthcare technologies and technology-dependent interventions
- focus on clinical areas and/or themes of high morbidity which have high potential for improving quality of life of NHS patients and improving the effectiveness of healthcare services that support them
- work collaboratively with patients and patient groups, charities, industry and academics
NIHR funding will be provided to the NHS Organisation for a four-year period starting 1 January 2013.
The closing date for submission of the Pre-qualifying Questionnaire by the NHS Organisations in England that are interested in being considered for an NIHR Healthcare Technology Co-operative is 19 April 2012 at 5.00pm.
A briefing meeting for potential applicants was held on the 29 February 2012 at the Wellcome Trust. A new Question and Answer document has now been created to capture all questions submitted prior to the event, questions asked at the event and questions previously published as part of the competition. These questions, together with the answers, have been grouped into similar categories and can be accessed here.
The guidance document is available here.