AAC product pipeline

We commission a number of programmes to support each step in the pipeline. Follow the links to find out more:

• Clinical Entrepreneur training programme: a range of entrepreneurial support for staff in clinical training.
• AAC early stage innovations: categories of new, potentially highly effective products which need support through the regulatory and approvals process.
• Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI): a programme running competitions on innovations identified as an unmet need by the NHS.
• Test Beds: bring NHS organisations and industry together to test innovations with pathway redesign in real-world settings.
• The NHS Insights Prioritisation Programme (NIPP) is designed to accelerate the evaluation and implementation of innovation that supports post-pandemic ways of working, builds service resilience and delivers benefits to patients
• Early Access to Medicines Scheme (EAMS): helps to give people with life-threatening or seriously debilitating conditions early access to new medicines.
• NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA): supports innovators to accelerate the uptake of high-impact innovations for patient, population and NHS staff benefit.
• Rapid Uptake Products programme: tailored support for selected innovations which have been given NICE approval.
• Pathway Transformation Fund: funding to help NHS organisations integrate the rapid uptake products into everyday practice.
• The Innovation and Technology Payment programme (ITP): removing some of the financial and procurement barriers to introducing new technologies.
• Health Innovation Network: the 15 Health Innovation Networks across England spread innovation at pace and scale, improving health and generating economic growth.
• Academic Health Science Centres: regional partnerships bringing together expertise from universities and NHS organisations to translate early scientific research and discoveries into healthcare.
• Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award: run by the AAC and NIHR, the AI Health and Care Award will make funding available to accelerate the testing and evaluation of the most promising AI technologies which meet the strategic aims set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.
• The NHS Innovation Service – providing access to coordinated support and guidance from organisations with expertise in the development and widespread adoption of health innovation.

Additionally, the MedTech funding mandate is a ministerial and NHS Long Term Plan commitment to accelerate the uptake of selected NICE-approved, cost-saving health tech and diagnostic products into the NHS.