Awards will be given to individuals or teams who have created, invented or developed novel ideas in the following 3 main categories:

 

• Medical Technology
• Software/ICT
• Service Innovation

 

The Awards aim to recognise ideas which demonstrate, or have the potential to demonstrate, significant benefits to patients, staff and/or their Trusts.

 

This year there will be a number of Special Awards on the night, including one for the Trust with the most number of entries. Additional Awards will be announced soon.

 

For further details on the criteria that will be used to judge the entries please click on the appropriate category. If you need advice on which category to enter please do contact us.

 

Medical Technology

 

Entries for the Medical Technology category should be either novel technologies or medical devices, or developments and improvements to existing products in current use. These can be at concept stage, working prototypes or fully proven but not yet in full commercial production. The implementation of existing technology will not be considered for entry, however it may be eligible for entry into the software/ICT category or service innovation category as appropriate (see below).

 

The judges will be looking for the following key criteria:

• Originality (inventiveness)
• Technical feasibility
• Inspiration behind idea (what problem was identified & how it has been solved)
• Potential Impact (benefit to patients/staff/NHS)

If you are entering the Medical Technology category, it is important not to disclose your idea to anyone outside of your Trust without contacting HEE first. Public disclosure of your idea without protecting any associated Intellectual Property Rights first could prevent you from being able to exploit your idea to its fullest potential. HEE will ensure that your IP Rights are protected before any confidential information contained in your entry is disclosed.

 

Software/ICT

 

Entries for the Software/ICT category should either be bespoke software solutions to identified problems, or use of existing telecommunications technology to provide new, or improve existing, services to patients. The judges are looking for solutions that have been implemented and full-fill the following criteria:

 

• Originality (inventiveness)
• Inspiration behind idea (what problem was identified & how has it been solved)
• Impact (benefit to patients/staff/NHS)

 

Examples of entries to this category may include:

 

• Bespoke software or database solutions (electronic data storage & display)
• Telemedicine (use of telecommunications technology for remote medical diagnosis and patient care)
• Web-based information services

 

Service Innovation

 

Entries for the Service Innovation category must be an innovative new or improved service that is benefiting the delivery of healthcare, or has the potential to do so.

 

You should be able to demonstrate how the Service Innovation directly or indirectly benefits patient care. Some examples of Service Innovations are:

 

• Introduction of a new type of service or treatment technique
• Patient information / access / involvement initiatives
• New or improved patient pathways
• Inter-Trust or partnership working
• Change in professional role
• The use of a new technology to dramatically change the way the service is delivered.

 

Your innovation could either be at the concept stage i.e. you have thought about the design of the Service Innovation, but it has not yet been implemented, or it can be an innovative service that is already up and running. The innovation does not need to be independently validated, but for the services already implemented you will asked to demonstrate impact of the service, costs/benefits and timescale of results. For conceptual Service Innovations you will be asked to indicate how you think the service will affect patient care.

 

The independent panel of judges will be looking for schemes that are particularly unique rather than local implementation or roll out of a national programme or the implementation of generally recognised best practice. These could however still be eligible if you can demonstrate that your implementation was done in a particularly unique and innovative way.

 

Apart from the award itself, all entries will be considered for dedicated support from Health Enterprise East to implement or further improve the innovation in your Trust.