SBRI : Improving Hip Fracture Outcomes Using Data, phase 1

This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by the Scottish Government through Health Innovation South East Scotland.

The aim of the competition is to improve outcomes for hip fracture patients by developing a system using routinely collected health data and data-analytics techniques.

The system must optimise complex patient care pathways to deliver hip fracture care according to national care standards.

This is phase 1 of a potential 2-phase competition. A decision to proceed with phase 2 will depend on the outcomes from phase 1 and assessment of a separate application into a subsequent phase 2 competition.

Only successful applicants from phase 1 will be able to apply to take part in phase 2.

Successful applicants will receive funding, as well as guidance from NHS Lothian, University of Edinburgh and access to the DataLoch repository of health data for South East Scotland.

Projects are expected to start by 2 June 2021 and can last up to 3 months.

To lead a project, you can:

• be an organisation of any size
• work alone or with others from business, research organisations, research and technology organisations or the third sector as subcontractors

Contracts will be awarded only to a single legal entity.

Phase 1

Feasibility study R&D contracts will be up to £15,000 inclusive of VAT will be awarded for each successful project for up to 3 months. We expect to fund up to 3 projects.

Phase 2

The second phase involves up to 2 contracts being awarded to businesses chosen from the successful phase 1 applicants. Up to £57,500 inclusive of VAT will be allocated for each contract, to develop a prototype and undertake field testing for up to 9 months.

The aim of the competition is to improve outcomes for hip fracture patients by developing a system using routinely collected health data and data analytics techniques.

The system must optimise complex patient care pathways to deliver hip fracture care according to national care standards.

Your project can focus on one or more of the following:

• data analytics
• machine learning
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• analysis of risk
• software development
• computerised decision-support/ integrate care pathway development

In phase 1 you must:

• gather clinical needs and care pathway requirements
• develop current and future state maps of hip fracture services
• demonstrate the technical feasibility of your proposed innovation
• establish ongoing collaboration between technical and clinical members of the project team
• formalise any required ethical approvals, data sharing agreements and contracts
• begin working with clinical data
• develop a technical specification which describes in detail how a proposed phase 2 ‘Technology Development’ will be completed

At this stage contracts will be awarded for phase 1 only. You must define your goals and outline your plans for phase 2. This is part of the full commercial implementation in your phase 1 proposal.

You must demonstrate a credible and practical route to market, so your application must include a plan to commercialise your results.

In phase 2 we will ask successful applicants from phase 1 to:

• develop and evaluate a prototype of your solution
• test the prototype on real-world data and systems within NHS Lothian to establish clinical utility
• develop a business plan for full commercial exploitation

An online briefing event will be held at 2pm on Wednesday 17th February: register here.