Tech partnership to boost health innovation

The Scottish Government’s Techscaler programme has partnered with the NHS’ Test Beds network.  

The new partnership between the £42m business support programme and the NHS will allow innovative companies to trial new health products in clinical settings.  

Participants, which are provided with world-class expertise and support to young businesses with high growth potential, are being offered access to NHS Regional Test Beds. The regional test beds are being used together with industry, academia and healthcare services to improve the NHS and Social Care in Scotland.

The agreement will enable entrepreneurs to work alongside clinicians and have access to patients and anonymised data to test ideas, products and services.  

The new partnership will automatically incorporate firms already using the NHS Test Beds into the Techscaler network.  

Wellbeing economy minister Neil Gray announced the move during a visit to Bioliberty in Edinburgh, which uses robotics to provide rehabilitation and assistance for stroke survivors.  

The company will be one of 14 firms in sectors including health tech and life sciences to join a Scottish Government-funded visit to New York to showcase their work.  

Gray said: “Scotland’s life sciences sector has an annual turnover of more than £8 billion and is one of our key sectors for transformative economic growth. This partnership will be able to leverage our world-leading universities, life sciences hubs and excellent healthcare systems to support the growth of the sector and the development of entrepreneurs.  

“Testing products in a real-world environment and accelerating development is vital and will enable a broader reach of the Tech Scaler programme. This in turn will benefit patients and medical staff as they develop cutting-edge technology for use across the NHS, from stroke and rehabilitation through to reducing drug-related deaths.  

“It is a further example of the steps we are taking as we develop a sustainable, high-skill economy that works for everyone.”  

Chief scientist for health Anna Dominiczak said: “I welcome this collaboration, which will result in transformative innovations for the NHS and help to ensure that Scotland is the best location for life sciences companies.”  

Scotland’s chief entrepreneur Mark Logan said: “By making this connection between health testing and business support, we create an environment for innovation which enables Scottish companies to compete effectively, whilst bringing much-needed treatment solutions to the NHS.”