Supporting SMEs to get NHS-ready

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a key role in driving forward innovation in the NHS. At Barts Life Sciences, we support SMEs and NHS teams to learn from each other and create a better understanding of barriers and opportunities. As a result, we improve outcomes for patients, save money for the NHS, and support SMEs to grow. 

Over the last two years, our HealthTech SME Project, funded by the Mayor of London and the UK Government, has supported small and medium-sized HealthTech enterprises to better understand NHS priorities, patient needs, and the complex pathways required to successfully align and embed innovations into real-world healthcare settings.  

We engaged with 156 SMEs through a series of themed insights and discussion sessions, bespoke support activities, and an internship initiative in which 10 SMEs took part. The project created new opportunities for SMEs and the NHS to share learning, build a mutual understanding of NHS needs and SME capabilities, and develop innovations tailored to local and system-wide healthcare challenges. 

Diversity and inclusion were central to the success of our project. From the 156 SMEs supported by the project, 40% were ethnic minority led, 38% were female-led, and 13% were disabled-led. The project proactively worked with strategic partners to engage with and include our diverse local communities across North-East London.  

Out of the 156 SMEs that took part in round one, 101 SMEs reported that they improved their knowledge of the local market after receiving support through the HealthTech SME Project. 57 enterprises created a new business plan, 23 improved their marketing or sales strategy and 19 unblocked an issue limiting their business. In addition to these key highlights, the project led to:

• Increased understanding of the NHS: All participating SMEs reported a stronger grasp of how NHS priorities are shaped and how to align their value proposition with the needs of a large, complex healthcare provider. 

• Product Development and Adaptation: Many companies made changes to their product, service model, or implementation strategy following feedback from clinical teams and patient advisors. 

• Evidence and Evaluation Readiness: Several SMEs began preparing for clinical evaluation, implementation research, or health economic modelling to better evidence the impact of their innovation within NHS settings. 

• Pipeline for Future Collaboration: The project has created a pipeline of SMEs that are now better prepared to engage in research, pilots, or partnership initiatives with NHS organisations, including but not limited to Barts Health NHS Trust. 

“Excellent presentation on health economics which improved my understanding of how to position my company’s product from an NHS values/costs perspective.” (Attendee)

 “It’s helped me massively to unpick the NHS and better understand it.” (Attendee)

 Join us for Round Two 

Building on the success of the first round, Barts Life Sciences is now launching the second round of the HealthTech SME Project. This next phase will expand on our support offer, with themed workshops and insight sessions co-designed with Barts Health NHS Trust experts. The content will be tailored to prioritise health challenges facing our community whilst also supporting the delivery of the 3 big shifts the wider NHS needs to undertake to be fit for the future: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention  

Join us if you are an ambitious and innovative SME active in London looking to improve patient outcomes, reduce health inequalities, and create scalable impact across the NHS. 

Stay informed by following us on Linkedin or express your interest in joining Round Two by signing up to our mailing list.