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Healthcare innovators invited to take part in awards

Bright sparks from across the region are being invited to submit their ideas for a prestigious annual competition to celebrate innovation and excellence in healthcare.

Now in its thirteenth year, the Bright Ideas in Health Awards seeks to highlight the NHS staff and healthcare SMEs working to improve patient care throughout the North East and North Cumbria. This year’s hopeful healthcare pioneers are being encouraged to submit their inventions and innovative service ideas before the April 15th deadline.

Dr Nicola Wesley, Head of NHS Innovations North and Director of Innovation at the Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC), said: “We’re proud of the innovation and ingenuity that these Awards have highlighted in the North East and North Cumbria. Our region is a hive of hardworking people who are passionate about improving care for their patients and it’s important to continue to showcase the talent we have to offer.

“I’m delighted that we can continue to celebrate the achievements of frontline staff and budding entrepreneurs this year. I’d encourage anyone with a great idea - whether it’s a groundbreaking piece of technology or a better way of delivering a service - to enter the competition. You could be crowned one of our winners.“

The event is organised by NHS Innovations North, a service delivered by RTC North Ltd on behalf of the AHSN NENC. This year there are five categories: Innovative Medical Device or Technology; Innovation in Primary Care; Service Improvement; SME Innovation; and Patient and Public Involvement - Making Research Better.

The winners in each of the categories will receive a cash prize to help progress their ideas as well as ongoing specialist support from organisers NHS Innovations North and the AHSN NENC.

Last year’s ceremony saw success for a range of pioneering ideas including a sleep mask which provides non-invasive treatment for diabetic patients with sight problems, a clinic that supports patients suffering chronic fatigue and a specially developed primary care role to support dementia sufferers and their carers.

The SME Innovation in Healthcare award was given to County Durham-based PolyPhotonix for their Noctura 400 sleep mask - a revolutionary non-invasive treatment for patients with Diabetic Retinopathy.

Dr Alison Fisher, Project Manager at PolyPhotonix said: “PolyPhotonix are thrilled to have received this recognition, which builds credibility with our stakeholders and showcases the achievements of the PolyPhotonix team.

“Since winning the award, we have continued to partner with Fight for Sight, the UK’s main eye research charity. PolyPhotonix has also recently secured a new deal with LloydsPharmacy, which will use its Noctura 400 sleep mask as the basis for an extended optometry service. It has been estimated that the NHS could save £1bn per year through the use of the mask.“

Winner of the CCG Innovation within Primary Care award was a project aimed at improving dementia care in General Practice. Led by Oxford Terrace and Rawling Road Medical Group in Gateshead, the role of Primary Care Navigator (PCN) has been created to help address the complex health and social needs of patients suffering from dementia by providing improved navigation through the system.

Sheinaz Stansfield, Practice Manager said: “We have won nine awards in total this year – three of which were for the PCN role. Had it not been for the Bright Ideas in Health Awards we would not have had the confidence to enter national awards. We were the first and only practice to be nominated for the 2015 Bright Ideas in Health Awards and we hope our success will inspire others to enter this year.

“The practice is saving money which is transferred to front line services. Now part of a complex care team, the PCN role has been extended to support our work on long term conditions through the Year of Care Programme.“

This year’s Awards ceremony, which is sponsored by NIHR Clinical Research Network: North East and North Cumbria, Onyx Health, and Archer IP, will take place at the Hilton Hotel Newcastle Gateshead on Thursday 23rd June.

The closing date for entries is Friday 15th April 2016. To submit entries, visit http://tracker.nhsinnovationsnorth.org.uk/ or email sarah.black@nhsinnovationsnorth.org.uk for more information.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by HEALTH NEWS .