FAQs - NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call 4

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Applications are open to single organisations that have 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.

The Innovation Open Call is open to single organisations (contracts are executed with individual legal entities) based in the UK or EU from the private, public and third sectors. This includes companies (large corporates and small and medium enterprises), charities, universities Integrated Care Boards, and NHS Trusts.

Organisations based outside the UK or EU with innovations in remit for this call can apply as subcontractors of a lead UK/EU based organisation or via a UK or EU subsidiary.

Spread fund
Funding is available only to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Cancer Alliances (through their host legal entity) based in England.

Applications must be led by an eligible organisation (ICB or Cancer Alliance), which will hold the contract. While the lead applicant must meet the eligibility criteria, proposals are expected to involve collaboration with other partners where appropriate.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Universities may apply; however, they must demonstrate a route to commercial and NHS spread for the proposed innovation. If it is difficult for the university to demonstrate this, they will need to ensure that hey are partnering up with other organisation that can.

Spread fund
No, this funding model is open to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Cancer Alliances (through their host legal entity) based in England. Universities are not eligible to apply as lead organisations but may be included as subcontractors where their expertise is relevant to the project.

Competitions are open to any innovation, including medical devices, in vitro diagnostics, digital health solutions and AI-driven solutions, behavioural interventions, software and new models of care. All innovations must meet the entry criteria and address the challenges described in the Challenge Brief.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
The competition is open to any market-ready innovation with evidence of safety and clinical utility from prospective use in at least one healthcare setting, that is ready for implementation and evaluation across multiple NHS sites. With reference to the individual challenges, the following requirements must be met:

Challenge 1 - Productivity;
• CE mark or equivalent regulatory approval obtained (if required for your innovation) for the cancer-related use intended within the application; and
• Evidence of safety and clinical utility from prospective use in at least one NHS site specifically for the intended cancer-related purpose described in the application

Challenge 2 – Early detection and diagnosis
• CE mark or equivalent regulatory approval obtained (if required for your innovation) for the cancer-related use intended within the application; and
• Evidence of safety and clinical utility from prospective use in at least one healthcare setting specifically for the intended cancer-related purpose described in the application

Spread fund
This funding model is open to mature innovations with proven safety and clinical utility demonstrated through an independent real-world study across multiple NHS sites and are ready for commissioning within the NHS. Applications must meet all of the following criteria:

• The innovation has been deployed in real world settings across multiple NHS sites in England

• There is published independent evidence demonstrating patient benefit and/ or system impact for the cancer-related use case proposed arising from deployment at multiple NHS sites

• There is an independently generated economic assessment for the cancer-related use case proposed, such as a budget impact, cost-benefit, or cost-effectiveness model

• The innovation is available for procurement, for example through an existing procurement framework, or another clearly defined purchasing mechanism that can be accessed by NHS organisations

• For digital innovations, demonstrable compliance with the DTAC

• For digital innovations, the technology is interoperable with relevant NHS systems (for example Picture Archiving and Communication Systems and Electronic Patient Record Systems), and/ or is actively working towards interoperability with the NHS App or Federated Data Platform

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
If the application for regulatory approval has been submitted by the application deadline, you may apply to the competition by evidencing this, but regulatory approval must be obtained and the SBRI Healthcare Programme Management Office (PMO) notified before the peer review process starts (the date will be provided once competion dates are finalised). If regulatory approval has not been obtained by the set date, the application will be rejected based on eligibility.

Spread fund
No, this funding model is intended for mature innovations that are already regulatory approved, deployed in real-world settings across multiple NHS sites in England, and available for procurement. Eligible innovations must also have:
• Published independent evidence demonstrating patient benefit and/or system impact for the proposed cancer-related use case, based on deployment across multiple NHS sites; and
• An independently produced economic assessment for the proposed use case, such as a budget impact, cost-benefit, or cost-effectiveness analysis.

If the CE marking is for a different use than the one of the proposed project the innovation would be ineligible for funding.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
The focus of projects is real world implementation studies to gather evidence for adoption in the NHS, and not activities to gather evidence for regulatory approvals.

However, applicants can consider including regulatory work packages to meet new or emerging regulatory requirements if these would strengthen their case for adoption and spread.

Spread fund
No, this funding model is aimed at supporting the spreading of innovations that are already market ready.

Yes, however if the background IP does not lie with your organisation, please ensure that you have appropriate rights of use of the necessary IP for the project and beyond. You will also need to consider ownership of the foreground IP generated during the project and how this may impact future commercialisation. Appropriate reassurance should be included in the application and will be requested during due diligence.

Applicants with other sources of funding are eligible to apply to SBRI Healthcare, provided the activities that would be funded by SBRI Healthcare are not already supported by another funding stream. Applicants must articulate how the SBRI Healthcare bid would be distinct from existing studies and what additional evidence would be collected to support the development, implementation and/or adoption of the proposed innovation.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Yes, registered charities are eligible to enter SBRI Healthcare competitions via their trading company limited by guarantee. All organisations must demonstrate a route to commercial and NHS spread route to market for their innovation.

Spread fund
No, this funding model is open to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Cancer Alliances (through their host legal entity) based in England. Charities are not eligible to apply as lead organisations but may be included as subcontractors where their expertise is relevant to the project.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Applications are accepted from the UK and any country in the European Union. However, please be aware that projects must show a clear health benefit to the UK and England in particular. Legal entities from all other countries may be project partners, but cannot be the lead organisation. If you have any specific questions on the eligibility of your organisation, please email sbri@lgcgroup.com

Spread fund
No, this funding model is open to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Cancer Alliances (through their host legal entity) based in England. Organisations based outside England are not eligible to apply as lead organisations but may be included as subcontractors where their expertise is relevant to the project.

In principle this is possible, as long as the applicant can demonstrate that the subcontractors have the appropriate expertise, represent value for money and describe how their services will contribute to the health and wealth of the UK.

Yes. Please ensure the feedback provided in the outcome letter(s) is taken into consideration when you prepare the new proposal.

Please note that the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call does not have a formal resubmission process and any subsequent application would be treated as a new submission which may receive comments from different reviewers and be considered by a Panel consisting of different members.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
To be eligible, proposals are expected to have upon application:

• A partnership in place with at least one NHS organisation in England, if they are not already led by one
• A partnership with an independent evaluation partner to ensure the evaluation design is robust

In addition, applicants are expected to engage with appropriate suppliers to cover the expertise required for the successful delivery of the project. Working with Cancer Alliances and Health Innovation Networks is not mandatory, but encouraged for this fundng model. All participants in the application (lead applicants and collaborators/subcontractors) need to have approved accounts on the application portal so that they can be added to the application form. Please ensure you leave enough time for this.

Spread fund
To be eligible, proposals must include a partnership comprising the following as a minimum. Senior signatories are required from each organisation type to confirm their endorsement of the application:

• One or more ICBs as the strategic commissioners for their local population
• Multiple deployment sites
• One or more Cancer Alliances
• A technology vendor, where applicable

For contracting purposes, all organisations involved in the project other than the lead applicant will be treated as subcontractors, irrespective of their role in delivery. The lead applicant organisation and deployment sites must be based in England. Other subcontractors may be based in the UK or internationally, where appropriate.

It is not an eligibility criterion to partner with one of the Health Innovation Networks (HINs); however, it is strongly encouraged that you do. The HINs are uniquely positioned to support the development of health innovation and, by partnering with them, you can tap into their knowledge, expertise and networks to support the spread and adoption of your technology. Any organisation based in the UK (including Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales) can access the Health Innovation Network - please consult their webpage thehealthinnovationnetwork.co.uk

The Health Innovation Network website has further information on support offered and how to get in contact thehealthinnovationnetwork.co.uk. You can also set up an account with the NHS Innovation Service where you will be put in touch with appropriate organisation to provide support.

Contracts will be awarded to individual organisations. However, applicants may identify components of the work which they wish to subcontract and may also employ specialist consultants or advisers if they believe this will increase the likelihood of project success.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Involvement of Cancer Alliances is not mandatory, but strongly encouraged. The Cancer Alliances have cancer expertise and will be able to facilitate links to NHS Trusts and expert clinicians within their area. Please note that every NHS Trust in England is associated with a Cancer Alliance. As each Cancer Alliance has their own priorities, applicants are encouraged to investigate and determine the Cancer Alliance that is best positioned to support the proposed innovation. A list of Cancer Alliance websites and contacts is available here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/cancer/cancer-alliances-improving-care-locally/.

Spread fund
Yes, it is mandatory to include one or more Cancer Alliances when applying for this funding model. Cancer Alliances can act as lead applicants or collaboratros.

We strongly advise that you get in touch with your local Health Innovation Network to build partnerships and get advice. We also recommend that you register your innovation with the NHS Innovation Service, acting as a front door to the NHS for healthcare innovations, the service can help to match you with relevant organisations to provide tailored support. The NIHR Industry Team can help you identify clinical sites and partners, as well as facilitating access to data, patient recruitment, and providing research delivery support.

Initial contact for signposting and advice & guidance is likely free of charge. This is often a scoping exercise to understand the innovation and which gaps may need addressing. The Network provides a suite of additional and more in-depth support assisting applicants with independent evalution, value proposition, implementation studies, health econmics, patient and public involvement and engagement, addressing health inequalities, and net zero activities to name a few.

If an innovator decides to engage further with one of the Health Innovation Networks, the charges are usually agreed on a case-by-case basis. These would be acceptable project costs, however a detailed quote is required. Please consult their webpage https://thehealthinnovationnetwork.co.uk/.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Challenge 1 - Productivity;
Not all evidence needs to be generated in the UK. However, to be eligible for this competition, the innovation must demonstrate safety and clinical utility through prospective use in at least one NHS site for the intended cancer-related purpose described in the application.

Challenge 2 – Early detection and diagnosis
Clinical evidence can be derived from anywhere in the world, and evidence generated outside the UK could be considered appropriate, provided there is clear evidence that it is applicable to the chosen NHS care pathway in the UK. Irrespective of where the evidence was derived, applicants should ensure that innovations are suitable for, or could be adapted for, the NHS or the relevant care provider in the UK.

Spread fund
Yes, innovations applying for this funding should have real wolrd evidence in the NHS. To be eligible for funding innovations need to:
• Have published independent evidence demonstrating patient benefit and/ or system impact for the cancer-related use case proposed arising from deployment at multiple NHS sites
• There is an independently generated economic assessment for the cancer-related use case proposed, such as a budget impact, cost-benefit, or cost-effectiveness model

While the programme appreciates that innovations may require different levels of PPIE during development, it is expected that the organisation has involved patients/members of the public during the research and development phase. PPIE is one of the assessment criteria and will be reviewed by a Panel of experts, including PPIE members.

There should be continued PPIE as part of the project, to ensure that patients and members of the public are involved and can provide feedback that will support the refinement of the innovation during the implementation stage, and this should be clearly described in the application.

Yes, we recognise the importance of innovations designed for the community environment in addressing health challenges, and would welcome applications for these innovations provided they address the challenges described in the Competition-specific Challenge Brief and meet the entry criteria of that Competition.

Research, Innovation and Development Advisory Committees (RIDAC) act as a support and advisory body within the three cancer screening programmes (breast, bowel, and cervical). They will help researchers and innovators with proposals for evaluation by assessing the potential impact of the proposed project to ensure participant benefit and safety, clinical service continuity, minimal service/workforce burden, that it is technically possible within the current IT systems and whether the data request is necessary, proportionate, and legal.

RIDAC does not provide approval for projects but will provide a set of recommendations to ensure the project aligns with the priorities of the screening programmes. All projects relating to breast, bowel and/or cervical screening programmes will need to consult the RIDAC process and obtain a letter of recommendation before beginning the project.

The RIDAC team in the NHS England Vaccination and Screening Directorate is the point of contact and will help applicants through the required RIDAC application process. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the team early in their planning so that specific, constructive advice can be given to help refine the proposal and pre-empt the committee’s queries. You can contact the RIDAC team at england.screening.research@nhs.net.

Intellectual property rights are retained by the applicant although certain rights of usage may be applied by the funding authority including royalty-free, non-exclusive licence rights and the right to require licences to third parties, at a fair market price. Applicants are encouraged to review the standard SBRI Agreement before applying.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
No. Costs should be calculated to reflect fair market value.

Spread fund
No. Costs should be calculated to reflect fair market value. The funding will cover only true excess costs, i.e. the genuine additional costs of implementation, above and beyond existing business as usual (BAU) service delivery.

Funding will be paid to the lead organisation, which will be responsible for distributing payments to partners and subcontractors, where applicable.

The application’s maximum budget and itemised project costs should exclude VAT. Please note that SBRI Healthcare projects are subject to VAT. If applicable, the host organisation may invoice SBRI Healthcare with 20% VAT in addition to the NET cost. It is the host organisation’s responsibility to determine if VAT is applicable.

An element of overheads may be included in project costs (usually up to 15-20% of the total costs). However, such an element must be realistic. Assessors will consider financial costs in terms of ‘value for money’ at the assessment stage. Projects requesting costs that are considered unreasonable may be rejected on these grounds.

No, SBRI Healthcare is not a research grant and follows pre-procurement rules and does not constitute state aid.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
No match funding is required.

Spread fund
Yes. The funding will operate through an outcome-based, matched funding model between NHS England and the Integrated Care Board(s) structured as follows:

• Year 1: NHS England will fund 100% of eligible technology and implementation costs

• Year 2: Costs will be shared between NHS England and the ICB(s). Applicants can propose the split of the costs between NHS England and the ICBs, however NHS England will only cover a total of £5M in funds across Years 1 and 2

• Year 3: Costs will be met through 100% ICB funding, with no further NHSE contribution. The achievement of a defined set of outcomes by an agreed Go/No Go decision point in Year 2 will unlock full ICB funding for delivery in Year 3

We cannot give a specific number because the amount of awards will be subject to budget availability and quality of the projects.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
At the end of the project, the innovation should be embedded into practice in a number of NHS locations, there should be a high-quality independent evaluation report, and a well-defined plan for continued commissioning and/or scale-up, as appropriate. Examples of potential exit points include:

• Health economics assessment

• Innovation independently evaluated to demonstrate its impact in real-world settings

• Collation of evidence for NICE recommendation (e.g. Early Value Assessment or Health Technology Guidance)

• Completion of procurement business cases to support transition into business-as-usual via standard commissioning routes

• Inclusion on national procurement frameworks

Spread fund
By the end of the project, the innovation is expected to be embedded as BAU across the commissioning and delivery sites involved. Examples of acceptable exit points include:

• Technology commissioned by the ICB(s) across the Cancer Alliance from Year 3 onwards

• BAU service delivery established, including workforce in place

• Legacy services decommissioned, where appropriate

• Processes established for ongoing monitoring of outcomes and key performance indicators, with a clear plan for sustainable funding

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
The evaluation work package should be delivered by a qualified organisation that is independent of the lead applicant. Lead applicants cannot use internal resources to analyse evaluation data or produce the evaluation report. Instead, they are expected to partner with, and subcontract this work to, an external organisation. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that the evaluation is robust, credible, objective, and free from bias.

Applications may fit multiple sub-challenges; however, you may only select one challenge on the application portal so please select the most appropriate. The funding envelope is for the entire competition and funding is based on quality. There is no specific budget allocated to different challenges. Thus, there is no advantage or disadvantage to selecting a specific challenge.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Organisations are welcome to submit more than one application if they have multiple innovations that address the Challenge Brief and meet the entry criteria. However, there must be significant differences between the innovations submitted and consideration given towards the resources needed to deliver both projects.

Spread fund
No, the programme will accept a maximum of one application per Cancer Alliance/ICB. Applicants are advised to prioritise projects with the widest achievable footprint and potential impact for patients and the healthcare system.

ICBs that relate to more than one Cancer Alliance may choose the Cancer Alliance to partner with for the purposes of this application, based on the best strategic fit and the footprint the project can achieve. Projects delivered in partnership across multiple Cancer Alliances are permitted; however, each individual Cancer Alliance may only be named in one application.

Proposals will be reviewed and shortlisted based on the input of a pool of selected assessors with the relevant expertise.

Shortlisted applicants are invited to attend an interview with a Panel of experts and patient/public representatives.

For more information on the application and assessment process, please refer to the Invitation to Tender (to follow) and launch webinar recording (to follow).

Questions about SBRI Healthcare competitions should be sent to sbri@lgcgroup.com.

Real world implementation and evaluation fund
Please submit one application per innovation, regardless of the number of Cancer Alliances involved in the project. The host organisation may involve as many clinical sites as necessary, subject to justification and that it is realistic, in the project proposal. If you are working with more than one Cancer Alliance, please clearly state each of their roles in the application.

Spread fund
No, separate applications are not required for each Cancer Alliance.

If the project involves spreading the same innovation across multiple Cancer Alliances, applicants are encouraged to develop a single, joint application in partnership with all relevant Cancer Alliances. This approach is aligned with the aims of the Innovation Spread Fund and may enable efficiencies of scale, shared learning, and more consistent implementation.

Please note that each individual Cancer Alliance may only be included in one application for this funding model.