Innovation belongs to everyone at Newcastle Hospitals. Through embedding innovation in our work, we can continue to provide high quality services and care for patients and families, and our diverse workforce.
We think it’s vital to embrace and encourage the invention of new ideas and ways of working, in addition to adopting new approaches, so that innovative solutions are developed and implemented at pace.
Our innovation pathway provides support for the development of solutions across our departments and teams, focusing on four steps: include, understand, test and share.
We’re building and strengthening networks, through working closely with industry and the regional and national healthcare system.
Click the button below to read more about some of our recent initiatives.
Innovation case studies
Clinical entrepreneur programme
Innovation is an enabler to helping achieve some of the trust’s key objectives and to ensuring we remain at the forefront of advances to provide high quality care and the best outcomes for patients.
Newcastle Hospitals was one of nine original ‘InSite’ test bed sites, across the country for the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, helping to develop and evaluate new solutions to benefit colleagues and patients. Due to the success of the programme this has grown to 18 sites nationally.
The initiative also helps colleagues with the skills and experience to scale their most innovative ideas for the benefit of our patients, staff and the wider NHS.
Our clinical entrepreneurs are working to transform services and are developing innovations such as Bobby’s Big Day Out, to support our young patients with sensory needs, the ICanMove project for those children and young people undergoing treatment for cancer, and Know Your Floors for adults with pelvic health problems.
You can read more about our clinical entrepreneurs – visit the links in the menu on the right hand side of this page.
Apply for the programme
The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme is accepting applications for its next cohort from health and social care colleagues, patients and carers.
Three distinct programmes are available:
- Clinical Entrepreneur Programme – For NHS staff across the UK with ideas to enhance patient outcomes and service delivery.
- Patient Entrepreneur Programme – For patients and carers in England with lived experience and innovative solutions to healthcare challenges.
- Dementia Innovators Programme – For health and social care staff developing impactful solutions for people affected by dementia.
Successful applicants will gain access to expert mentoring, tailored education, and a powerful network of healthcare leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors.
Key Dates:
- Applications close: Friday 28th November 2025 at 4pm
- Application results: April 2026
- Programme start: Spring 2026
Apply now at www.nhscep.com Questions? Email: [email protected].
Our business innovation manager Charlotte Fox and innovation project manager Michelle Waugh are on hand to offer tailored guidance to colleagues and partners. Please drop them a line [email protected]
Fostering an innovation culture
In the NHS, every staff member and person who uses our services is in a unique position to see opportunity for improvement.
One of the ways we raise the profile and understanding of innovation in our hospitals, is through hosting events and networking opportunities.
The Great North Children’s Hospital held an innovation showcase to provide an opportunity for staff and patients to share thoughts, ideas and challenges to help us improve care.
The initiative aimed to support a culture of innovation to continually enhance the quality of care patients experience.
Patients, staff and the public submitted their own innovation ideas – real life challenges or areas of improvement observed through experiences in the NHS. From patient care pathways to digital tools and even ideas for improving our hospitals’ physical environment.
Through events such as this, we can give everyone a voice, foster an inclusive culture where all ideas can be shared, and strengthen our approach to continuous improvement.
If you would like to know more about our approach to innovation, please email the team at [email protected].
