The Chief Scientist Office launched a programme of national innovation competitions to address priority challenges faced by NHS Scotland through the development of innovative solutions.
With this programme, the Chief Scientist Office provides seed funding to facilitate the development of innovation in health and social care and stimulate the collaboration between industry, academia and the NHS.
Delivered as Contracts for Innovation (formerly known as Small Research Business Initiatives), these open competitions support the creation of innovative products and services within the robust and tested infrastructure and government framework provided by Regional Innovation Hubs.
Projects developed via these initiatives aim to link solutions directly to the pressing challenges encountered within NHS Scotland, with a goal to drive improvements in services, enhance efficiency, and maximise healthcare effectiveness through innovation.
The CSO has recently partnered with other organisations to raise funding and address pressing health and social care needs, such as with the Office for Life Sciences’ Addiction Mission on Reducing Drug Deaths and with CivTech on Innovation in Menopause Services.
Since June 2022, nine open innovation competitions have been launched by CSO Innovation.
