Sheffield Teaching Hospitals to host national HealthTech Research Centre Network

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been chosen to host a new government-funded national HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) network, which will support the development of innovations for care of conditions including cancer, mental health, neurodegeneration and dementia, ageing, respiratory disease and cardiovascular conditions.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HRC network will identify and influence national health technology priorities to advance innovation across the UK. It will also give national leadership and coordination to 14 newly-established HRCs from September 1, 2024. Based at NHS organisations across the country, these HRCs came into force in April and were awarded almost £42 million to drive life-changing research into healthcare technologies for the next five years.

The new network is funded by an additional £5m investment from the NIHR, and will also convene an industry advisory committee to maximise collaboration with industry to exploit the potential of new health technologies and their benefits to patients and the NHS.

The funding to host the HRC network was awarded to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust following a competitive bid developed in collaboration with other NHS trusts across England that are hosting HRCs, including trusts in Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford and Devon.

Trust scientific and innovation director Professor Wendy Tindale OBE is director of the NIHR HRC network and of the NIHR HRC in Long Term Conditions (Devices for Dignity). Professor Tindale said: “Working in partnership with all 14 HRCs will be key to creating a thriving ecosystem of industry, academia, NHS and other stakeholders to bring inno-vative health technologies more rapidly to patients. The range and collective experience of the HRCs is vast and there is a real opportunity for this new network to create a step change in impact. We have a proven track record of leading collaborative partnerships with a range of stakeholders, including patients and the public, so we are delighted to be bringing these skills to the benefit of the network.”

Picture: Professor Wendy Tindale OBE.

Published on page 22 of the June 2024 issue of RAD Magazine.