Thinking of applying to the Healthcare Science Innovation Fellowship Programme?
Applications are now open for the Healthcare Science Innovation Fellowship Programme 2022.
This exciting programme provides experience of the innovation process, focusing on digital technologies for diagnostics or monitoring, equipping successful Fellows with the knowledge, skills and confidence for the development, evaluation and implementation of new technologies, and the ability to initiate and lead their own technology innovation projects in the future.
Fellows have access to blended project–based and online learning and training resources and mentoring to undertake a technology innovation project relevant to their department, supported by a £15k innovation bursary.
We spoke to 2 of the Fellows from the 2020/21 cohort about how the Programme has developed their innovation skills.
Jamie Osborne is a Senior Clinical Biochemist at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and was awarded the Healthcare Science Rising Star at the CSO Healthcare Science Awards in May 2021.
“The online learning, interactive workshops and practice assignments have been a great resource, covering many aspects of innovation that had not been covered by any of my other training. What makes the Fellowship especially valuable though, is the unexpected ways in which it can support you.
Setting a deadline set right at the beginning of the project kept it high on my list of priorities. Protected time allowed my department to give me the space I needed to work on it regularly. Knowing support was there kept me pushing when challenges arose. Doing my project, under the auspices of the Fellowship, facilitated contact with new colleagues and organisations to collaborate with.
Myself and my department now have a research network we can use for the projects we have planned for the future. They can use us, too – a small conversation with our newfound friends turned into a separate project, the results of which have made sampling much easier for a group of our patients. That conversation would not have happened had we not made first contact during this Fellowship. I can’t recommend it enough!”
Maighread Ireland applied as a Design Engineer at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and was awarded the Innovation Award as part of the Clinical Engineering Innovation team at the CSO Healthcare Science Awards in May 2021.
“My project is looking at the management of chronic wound symptoms. The main focus is to understand the difficulties that both patients and clinicians face when managing symptoms and to identify opportunities for product development to improve patient quality of life.
The Fellowship so far has helped me in two main areas; early-stage project team buy-in and patient & public engagement (PPIE). I have enjoyed the process of narrating my own PPIE experiences, reflecting on these and identifying opportunities for improvement and creativity in my own project to allow successful PPIE to be a 2-way meaningful exchange.
The Devices for Dignity team have been very ‘hands on’ and helpful with assisting and mentoring, and the skills I have developed have already made an impact beyond the scope of my Fellowship project.
I’d say to healthcare scientists thinking of applying, that the Fellowship could be a launchpad for you to lead a follow up project of increasing complexity and I would highly recommend it.”
The programme is an opportunity for qualified Healthcare Scientists working within the NHS in England and Wales, with at least 1 year of post-qualification experience. The deadline to apply is 14th December 2021.
Apply at https://devicesfordignity.org.uk/about-us/healthcare-science-innovation-Fellowships/
