8:40am Friday 29th March 2013
WEST Midlands Conservative MEP Malcolm Harbour is backing the Technology Strategy Board in its call for the NHS to lead the way in innovative procurement.
The report calls for the NHS to engage more with industry, especially SMEs and micro-businesses, in the quest to develop novel technologies to enhance the NHS’s service delivery.
Mr Harbour said: “The Small Business Research Initiative [SBRI], the need for more public procurement of innovation and the current changes to the structure of the NHS provide an ideal opportunity for joined-up working.
"Here in the West Midlands we have great medical research, renowned teaching hospitals and a strong cluster of medical technology companies. We are very well placed to get maximum benefit from these programmes.
“At the same time, last week’s Budget announcement that the SBRI is to get at least a five-fold funding increase to drive innovation will create the all-important momentum so many small businesses are looking for.
“This will benefit businesses in these difficult economic times and, at the same time, ensure public money is spent wisely and effectively by the NHS, procuring exactly what technology it needs now and in the future.”
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