Collaboration is key to unlocking a truly progressive healthcare ecosystem in the north east, says a formal NHS Scotland partner undertaking a presentation at the University of Aberdeen on Wednesday 1 October

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson will be presenting on the topic of Turning ideas into action – how collaboration is the best facilitator of north east healthcare innovation at the Foresterhill Campus.

The NHS Grampian Research & Development (R&D) Training Team delivers a monthly programme of seminars, and InnoScot Health will be discussing learnings around the ongoing need to collaboratively accelerate innovative healthcare ideas in the north east to transform healthcare.

Formed in 2002, InnoScot Health is highly experienced in helping innovators turn their ideas into viable products and services. Harnessing the talent, commitment and entrepreneurism of staff across NHS Scotland, and combining it with commercial expertise, InnoScot Health helps to support improvements in patient care and stimulate economic wealth.

Whether an idea is a medical device, piece of software, or medicine, InnoScot Health’s innovation pathway aims to provide expert support and insight at each stage – including intellectual property (IP) protection, medical device regulation, funding, project management and commercialisation.

Last year, the organisation launched a successful innovation competition in partnership with NHS Grampian which produced some exciting submissions, including ideas from two Speech and Language Therapists from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary which are now in development.

InnoScot Health is excited by the vast potential for north east research and innovation to lead the way for a more collaborative Scotland.

Graham said: “The region has developed a strong record of nurturing and supporting leading healthcare enterprises, particularly in life sciences, through excellence in biologics research and a dynamic, growing collection of clinical stage biotech companies. There is vast potential.

“Indeed, even greater growth is now within our grasp thanks to pioneering research and groundbreaking achievement – whether that’s through scaling of existing enterprises, accelerating spinouts and startups, or taking fresh steps to unify and maximise the triple helix of NHS, industry, and academia.

“Taken as one entity, ONE BioHub and the Foresterhill Campus represent Europe’s largest single-site health campus, boasting over 2,500 clinicians, entrepreneurs, and academics as part of a streamlined, progressive ecosystem.

“I’m very much looking forward to presenting on how the north east can further harness its existing assets and fully hone its singular vision for innovation through a learnings-led session.”

The monthly programme offers presentations by R&D staff and external speakers, as well as staff and students involved in clinical research from the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University, and NHS Grampian, with the aim of supporting fresh learnings and insight from teams across the region.

Booking is essential – please do so via email to the R&D Training Team.