Scottish healthcare innovators urged to apply to NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme by InnoScot Health

Budding Scottish healthcare innovators are being urged to apply to the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) as its new series of preparatory webinars gets underway.   

Formal NHS Scotland partner InnoScot Health is delighted to be supporting CEP for a third year and is encouraging progressive health service thinkers and medical students to get involved in educational online sessions this month. 

Head of Project Management at InnoScot Health, Gillian Henderson believes the programme is “transformative and inspirational for anyone looking to become an agent of change within NHS Scotland”.   

The free CEP Prep Learning series of webinars aims to engage and inspire attendees who are keen to innovate and look for creative solutions amid challenges currently facing healthcare.   

The sessions also provide an ideal introductory foundation for then applying to cohort 9 of the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme this October.   

Criteria for webinar registrants is either working in the NHS – both clinical and non-clinical – or studying a healthcare course that could lead to eventually working in the NHS.   

Such courses include, but are not limited to, medicine, nursing and midwifery, paramedic science, pharmacy, vision and hearing sciences, and clinical science.   

The four webinars cover essential innovation skills and will run from 10 June till 2 July.  The sessions – delivered via Zoom – all take place from 6-7.30pm and are:  

• 10 June – Why innovation in healthcare is important? 
• 18 June – Researching your innovation 
• 25 June – Lean canvas 
• 2 July – How to pitch your idea 

Register to attend   

Through a series of educational events and workshops focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship; to talks from founders and healthcare professionals; CEP aims to enhance your development and allow you to discover the innovative startup world of healthcare.   

Applications for cohort 9 will open on 1 October – but before then, organisers would like to encourage Scottish innovators to familiarise themselves with the application process for the entrepreneurial workforce development programme.   

InnoScot Health is proud to be part of a collaborative group of organisations – alongside The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), NHS Education for Scotland (NES), Scottish Enterprise, and Chief Scientist Office (CSO) - supporting Scottish innovators taking part in CEP which is delivered by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and part of the NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC).   

Future programme participants will be given focused learning on how to develop the necessary insight and know-how to successfully develop their ideas for the benefit of patients, the public, and the wider NHS.  Potential participants are encouraged to reach out to the InnoScot Health team if they would like to discuss their eligibility.   

The cohort will commence their development journey in late February/early March and the coordination group will continue to aid and encourage their innovation ambitions, helping them to identify channels of support while providing networking and collaboration opportunities.   

Gillian continued: “We’re very much looking forward to supporting and empowering Scottish health service entrepreneurs to take their learning to the next level.   

“They represent the lifeblood of NHS Scotland’s future as it embraces the opportunities of renewal and transformation – and it’s thanks to their involvement that the programme continues to flourish.   

“InnoScot Health will be looking to make a valuable contribution to their success by lending our own innovation expertise and support alongside other key partners. In the meantime, we’d suggest that they get application ready by registering for the online prep sessions.   

“CEP is the biggest entrepreneurial workforce development programme of its kind and we fully endorse its key aims which include supporting entrepreneurs to pursue their innovative ideas without having to leave the health service.   

“The programme fundamentally helps the healthcare workforce to hone the commercial skills, experience, and knowledge required to accelerate much-needed breakthroughs for better patient outcomes.”