NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call 3 announced in England

On January 26, 2024, NHS England announced the third round of the Innovation Open Call, funded by the NHS Cancer Programme and supported by the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) Healthcare Programme and the NHS England Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC). 

The Open Call was introduced in 2021 to fast-track high-quality, proven, late-stage innovations for the early detection and diagnosis of cancer and deliver NHS Long Term Plan ambitions (that by 2028, 75% of people will be diagnosed earlier, at stage one or two). Since 2021, 14 projects have been awarded via first and second calls.

The aim of the call is to produce and evaluate evidence in a real-world setting and build on the value proposition required by providers, commissioners, and regulators for successful adoption and spread.

All types of innovations are eligible, including but not limited to medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics, digital health solutions, behavioral interventions, software, artificial intelligence, or new models of care. Eligible innovation should have proven safety and efficacy and be ready for real-world testing and rollout (e.g., CE-mark).

The competition is open to single organizations, including companies (large corporations and small and medium enterprises) from across the globe that have a demonstrable partnership with an NHS organization. Additional engagement with Cancer Alliances or Health Innovation Networks is encouraged.

Awarded projects will be 100% funded up to the total value of £4 million (excluding VAT) over a maximum of 24 months. 

At the end of the project, the innovation should be embedded into practice in several NHS locations. There should be a high-quality, independent evaluation report and a well-defined plan for further work and/or scale-up. Examples of potential exit points include health economics assessment, collation of evidence for NICE approval or endorsement (i.e., Health Technology Guidance), completion of procurement business cases to support the transition into business-as-usual via standard commissioning routes, evidence for national commissioning initiatives (e.g., MedTech Funding Mandate), inclusion on national procurement frameworks.

The key scheduled dates for the third Open Call are provided below:

• April 8, 2024: Applications open;
• May 29, 2024: Deadline for applications;
• October/November 2024: Contracts awarded.

See the full details here.

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