Are you an NHS staff member with a flair for innovation and a vision for improving patient care? If you have a great idea but need support to bring those ideas to life, the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) could be for you!

Join a pioneering community of forward-thinkers in the NHS through the CEP. This transformative programme, delivered by Anglia Ruskin University and part of the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC), stands as the largest entrepreneurial workforce development initiative of its kind.

The programme is free, lasts 12 months and is open to all NHS staff (both clinical and non-clinical). It provides learning, opportunities and experiences through which entrepreneurs develop the commercial skills to accelerate their innovations, in turn helping to transform patient care, as well as providing them with the entrepreneurial knowledge that will help them in their day jobs. A dedicated programme on how to build a start-up or develop an intrapreneurial idea is delivered as a series of CPD accredited educational events called Pit Stops, which can be attended either in person or virtually.

Professor Tony Young OBE, National Clinical Lead for Innovation at NHS England and Professor of Entrepreneurship and Medical Innovation at Anglia Ruskin University, asserts: “It is truly amazing what can happen when you empower the NHS’ most valuable asset: its staff and encourage them to push beyond the bounds of possibility.”

Examples of innovations through the programme include communications solutions to help reduce health inequalities, smartphone otoscopes to look inside the ear, a time bank to support the exchange of skills and ideas; medical devices to support children with hearing issues and drones designed to carry medical supplies between NHS sites, as well as pathway improvements, social enterprises, and mental health support innovations.

Suzanne Vernazza, Pelvic Health Physiotherapist, Founding Director of Know Your Floors and NHS Clinical Entrepreneur, shares: “I never thought I was an entrepreneur or an influencer, but over the past two years on my journey, I have learned that through self-belief and support through the programme, I can be those things. I have been supported by fellow Clinical Entrepreneurs and mentors, who have given me practical advice and feedback. The sessions on the programme have also inspired me, as hearing fellow entrepreneurs’ stories and being able to network with over 1,000 other passionate individuals is extremely supportive and has helped me to make links to push forward.”

Boasting a network of over 1200 entrepreneurs and over 300 mentors and industry partners, the CEP is more than just a programme, it is a community of likeminded individuals and industry experts. It has created a space where NHS staff can develop their innovation or idea without having to leave the health service.  The programme offers mentoring, bespoke commercial education and learning, customer matching, resources, and development tools.

We invite all NHS employees with a promising concept, regardless of its developmental stage, to apply for this extraordinary opportunity. Could you be the next innovator to make a difference?

Application Window: 1st – 29th October 2024