Overview

SBRI Healthcare is an NHS England & NHS Improvement initiative, supported by the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) and managed by LGC Group. SBRI aim to promote UK economic growth whilst addressing unmet health needs and enhancing the take up of known best practice.

Scope

Climate change is a health emergency. More than 1.3 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. Air pollution contributes to one in 20 deaths in the UK and is the cause of increased cases of asthma, cancer and heart disease.

Contributing around 4% of UK emissions, the NHS is both a part of the problem and the solution. It must tackle climate change at the source if it is to deliver on its core purpose: to improve care now and for our future generations. In 2020, the NHS became the first health system in the world to commit to reaching net zero, setting two targets:

1. Net zero by 2040 for the emissions the NHS controls directly (with an 80% reduction by 2028–2032)
2. Net zero by 2045 for the emissions the NHS can influence (with an 80% reduction by 2036–2039.)

Since 2010, the NHS has reduced its emissions by 30%, thanks to steps taken across the workforce – but further transformation that continues to improve quality of patient care while also reducing carbon emissions is required in every setting. Developing technologies to address this complex problem and investing in innovation now will accelerate action.

This competition seeks to address the challenge of meeting the NHS’s net zero targets while supporting net zero clinical innovation and continuing to improve care for patients. This considers the systemic complexity, the supply chain and the product lifecycle associated with all innovations proposed as well as the impact that these solutions will have on carbon emissions. The ambition is to find innovative solutions that will reduce carbon emissions across four challenge areas:

a. Decarbonising surgical pathways

b.Reducing waste in surgery and critical care

c. Net zero personalised care

d. Tools to support the workforce to deliver net zero care

Applicants should assess the whole carbon footprint life cycle of their innovation, clearly articulating how they will measure impact on carbon emissions and how the innovation will meet the NHS net zero goals. Applicants should consider the baseline they need to innovate from, while considering the challenges faced by the healthcare system following COVID-19 and the changes to the Health and Care Act 2022. This competition is open to supporting the development and evaluation of technologies and solutions that align with the NHS net zero ambitions.

For further information, please see the challenge brief