NHS Cancer Programme – Innovation Open Call 4

Funding Models

The Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call is open to all types of innovations, including medical devices, behavioural interventions, AI or new models of care. To address different stages of innovation maturity and distinct barriers to adoption, the competition supports two complementary funding models:

Funding Model 1: Real world implementation and evaluation

The objective for this stage is to support the real-world deployment and independent evaluation of market-ready innovations across multiple NHS sites. To be eligible for this stage, you must be an innovator organisation with a demonstrable partnership with at least one adopting NHS organisation and an independent evaluation partner. Applicants can apply for 100% of project costs.

Funding Model 2: Innovation spread

The objective for this stage is to support the spread and embedding of innovations that have already demonstrated positive patient outcomes and a favourable cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness profile across multiple sites within at least one Cancer Alliance. To be eligible for this stage, you must have integrated Care Boards or Cancer Alliances with transitional funding commitment from the local integrated Care Board. In Year 1, NHS England will fund 100% of eligible technology and implementation costs, in Year 2 the costs will be shared between NHS England and the ICB. In Year 3, costs will be met through 100% ICB funding with no further NHSE contributions.

Eligibility criteria 

To be eligible for this competition applications are open to single organisations based in the UK or EU from the private, public or third sectors with a demonstratable partnership with an NHS organisation in England and an independent evaluation partner. Additional engagement with Cancer Alliances and/or Health Innovation Networks is strongly encouraged.