More than 100 entrepreneurs have been given the chance to deliver the best new technology and innovations to fully modernise the NHS.
Some 138 people have been chosen by the health service to make it fit for the 21st century, including five healthcare scientists who will tackle conditions including sickle cell disease and allergic reactions.
The Clinical Entrepreneurs Programme, run by NHS England, supports NHS workers to work with, and learn from, leading health and technology industry experts to develop their own innovative ideas. NHS England has confirmed that more staff will be provided with mentoring and other support to improve patient care.
Last year, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced the NHS will receive £4bn in investment as part of a "digital transformation" plan, including a cloud centric NHS computing and plans to better protect patient records, seen as a priority in light of this year's cyber attack that attacked several trusts around the country.
The latest innovations to be supported under the entrepreneurs programme include a voice controlled data collection app for sickle cell patients will be developed that can be worn by patients, to monitor their health, including their heart rate, pain score and medication log every day. The app will mean data can be tracked and processed to help inform patient care for this type of blood disease.
There will also be a new "Allergy Assist App" that will help allergy sufferers come together to share information and support on their condition and treatment.
Another major development is a new online service, called sci-connect, which will provide tailored online support and resources to undergraduates and junior staff in the early stages of their career who are studying healthcare and biomedical sciences.
Better care
Professor Tony Young, the director of Innovation NHS England, said: “Helping NHS professionals create new and innovative treatments is good for patients and good for our talented staff. Frontline workers have a unique insight into patients’ experiences and supporting all our staff to develop and deliver their ideas for better care will mean better outcomes for patients.”
Chief Scientific Officer Professor Sue Hill, said: “Giving budding entrepreneurs in the NHS support and space to create new solutions to old problems will keep the NHS at the forefront of innovation in healthcare.
"I’m delighted to see even more of our staff join the Clinical Entrepreneurs programme, which will see nearly 140 doctors, nurses and scientists benefit from world-class industry expertise, even as they continue to deliver care for patients."
NHS England said some of the key achievements in the first year of the entrepreneurs programme include raising over £48m of private sector funding for healthcare tech improvements. More than 5.6 million patients and professionals have used the innovations on the programme, ranging from educational training platforms for medics, providing video consultations with GPs, to medical diagnostic devices.
The programme has also supported a "brain gain" of 34 doctors returning to or staying in the NHS while developing their innovations, helping to avoid staff leaving the health service to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations.