Scotland’s new cohort of innovative participants for the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) has been selected — and a prestigious pitching event is set to welcome them next month

A total of nine clinicians working across Scotland have been notified of their success and invited to take part in a special ‘Big Pitch’ event, taking place on 8 June at the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, London.

Scotland’s 2026-27 participants span all career stages and are drawn from a variety of health boards and special health boards from across the country.

The CEP initiative has a strong track record of moulding Scotland-based healthcare innovators through its learning programme, representing a crucial step towards a more self-sustaining health service that is empowered to innovate from within.

Organisers insist that the new cohort already has a strong base of skills and knowledge which CEP can enhance by providing the tools needed to develop and scale their ideas, learn commercial acumen, and identify the right collaborators to take their ambitions to the next level.

InnoScot Health believes the programme’s tailored learnings and readymade network of collaborators are now poised to inspire its new participants, turning their ideas into reality thanks to dedicated mentoring and education.

CEP is the biggest entrepreneurial workforce development programme of its kind and is open to both clinical and non-clinical NHS staff.

InnoScot Health’s Head of Innovation Commercialisation, Gillian Henderson said: “Every year, CEP pushes fresh boundaries with a new cohort challenging the coordinating group to help them expand their skillsets in exciting new ways, bring their ideas to life, accelerate their career trajectory, and realise benefits for the patients they care for.

“It is a unique opportunity to become one of the country’s leading healthcare pioneers with tailored support provided to assist with balancing work and personal commitments, allowing participants to stay in the health service.

“We are pleased to welcome a talented new cohort of budding entrepreneurs and look forward to working closely with them.”

InnoScot Health is part of a collaborative group of organisations — alongside The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), NHS Education for Scotland (NES), Techscaler, Scottish Enterprise, and Chief Scientist Office (CSO) — supporting Scottish participation.

Programme organisers said: “This year’s intake brings together a diverse group of passionate problem‑solvers, each committed to improving care, tackling challenges, and driving meaningful change across the NHS.

“With access to expert guidance, tailored education and commercial insight, they’ll gain the skills and confidence to grow their innovations and take them forward.”

The organisers say the Big Pitch represents a milestone event for “showcasing the exceptional talent, creativity and impact of our entrepreneurs” with participants past and present invited to spotlight
“the ideas, products and partnerships that have shaped the CEP community and continue to drive change across the NHS”.

Dr Ana Talbot, Consultant in Older Adult Medicine at NHS Lanarkshire, has joined this year’s Scottish cohort with ambitions to further develop and pilot a frailty-related innovation supported by DHI, her health board, and local health and social care partnerships.

She is helping to shape a preventative self-assessment tool for older people and said: “Earlier identification supports earlier initiation of appropriate evidence-based treatments.

“If we improve the treatment and journey for older people who often have some of the longest delays in our system, then not only will they have better outcomes, but the whole system benefits, increasing patient safety – including mortality and morbidity – hospital occupancy, and efficiency.

“We hope this innovation will give older people more autonomy over the ageing status.”

Dr Talbot notes that CEP is “an excellent opportunity to find funding, practice pitching, develop networks throughout the United Kingdom, learn how to sell products, and understand better revenue models.”