MedIComm supported NHS Clinicians in commercialising innovation

The project worked with four Lancashire NHS Trusts: Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The focus of the programme was to support those staff on the frontline who are uniquely placed to identify inefficiencies in the health care system. The project aimed to develop solutions that can demonstrate value in meeting a clinical need, providing demonstrable health benefits to patients and patient care, whilst helping to drive down the cost of healthcare delivery.

The ground-breaking initiative provided advice on intellectual property (IP), regulatory processes and how to seek commercial funding to take forward the ideas of staff. To support clinical and non-clinical staff within the Trusts the project brought together a team of experienced professionals with significant expertise and insights in this field. The University of Central Lancashire led project aimed to foster a culture of innovation and collaboration that will have a lasting impact on healthcare delivery.

Although the project encountered initial challenges due to the Covid Pandemic affecting the availability of NHS staff, the project was still able to assist 21 beneficiaries, providing valuable support with intellectual property matters, regulation, and commercialisation.

UK Centre for Health Research and Innovation Director Paul Brown said: “I am delighted with the progress of the MedIComm programme and the service from UCLan around this sub-regional, networked interaction for NHS Trusts in Lancashire and South Cumbria (L&SC). L&SC has traditionally lacked connectivity and trained experts in Commercialisation, IP and entrepreneurialism.

MedIComm is already threading this together for our four acute Trusts and the University with staff and know-how. The critical mass created allows this joined-up approach for the first time and crucially is building an outlet and direction of travel for innovators at the trust. The volume of projects already created is testimony to this.”

The legacy of the project is that it has enabled NHS staff with innovative ideas to understand how to progress these from the initial stages of patent searching and intellectual property rights and then on to tackling the regulatory process required to create a product that can be used in healthcare.

Whilst this project has closed, the University actively supports regional businesses. Find out more through our Enterprise and Engagement Unit who will review your enquiry and signpost you to the most appropriate area of continuing support.