NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Accelerated Surgical Care

CPD-accredited Roma Cultural Awareness Training, Monday, 10 November 2024
2025-11-10 09:30 - 16:00 UTC | The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW
We’re pleased to announce that free places are now available for our upcoming CPD-accredited Roma Cultural Awareness Training, taking place on:
Date: Monday, 10 November 2024
Time: 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, Sheffield, S1 4FW
Free lunch and refreshments will be provided.
This one-day course is open to anyone interested in learning more about Roma culture, history, and health inequalities—whether you’re working in health, education, the VCSE sector, policy, research, advocacy, or simply want to deepen your awareness and practice.
The course will explore:
• Roma history, identity, and lived experience
• Type 2 Diabetes and the impact of health inequalities
• Culturally competent and trauma-informed approaches
• Real-life case studies and practical tools for inclusive support
Delivered by Care for Young People’s Future CIC, a CPD-accredited organisation offering training recognised both nationally and internationally.

HRC Brain Health Innovation
2025-11-12 10:00 - 16:00 | Science Gallery, Great Maze Pond, London, SE1 9GU, United Kingdom

Leeds Hospital Charity: Innovation Funding Call
2025-11-13 13:00 - 14:00 | Online, United Kingdom
Leeds Hospitals Charity is excited to announce the next round of funding available to support innovative projects within Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
This funding round focuses on healthcare innovation, specifically around the themes of:

Access into hospitals
Discharge from hospitals

Surgical Workshop Sandpit day - 14th November 2025
2025-11-14 09:00 - 16:00 | e University of Manchester, Core Technology Facility, 46 Grafton Street, M13 9NT, United Kingdom
We are pleased to share the date for the next NWSTC Surgical Workshop Sandpit day. Please save the details in your diary and share with colleagues who may also be interested.
Date: Friday 14th November 2025
Time: 09:00-16:00
Location: The University of Manchester, Core Technology Facility, 46 Grafton Street, M13 9NT
We will share the registration details and agenda with you soon.
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact nwstc@liverpool.ac.uk or surgicalresearch@manchester.ac.uk

NWSTC Shaping the Future of Surgery through Research: From Innovation to Delivery Day
2025-11-14 09:30 - 15:30 | e University of Manchester, Core Technology Facility, 46 Grafton Street, M13 9NT, United Kingdom

From hospital to community – partnering to transform respiratory Point-of-Care Testing
2025-11-18 12:30 - 13:30 | Online, United Kingdom
Respiratory infections are a major contributor to winter pressures in healthcare, particularly within secondary where they drive increases in emergency attendance, admissions and hospital bed occupancy. Implementing a community-based “Test and Treat” pathway incorporating a Point-of-Care Test (POCT) offers a practical and scalable approach to reducing patient deterioration and avoiding unnecessary hospitalisation. By providing rapid, on-the-spot results, POCT enables medical professionals to distinguish between viral and bacterial infections, support appropriate prescribing decisions, and initiate timely treatment. Through close collaboration between industry, the Health Innovation Network and the NHS, these diagnostic tests can be effectively deployed in community settings, supporting the NHS’s shift toward preventive, proactive, and locally delivered care. This approach not only transforms care delivery, but also strengthens system resilience during periods of high demand.
Our speaker
David Linden_small
Dr David Linden BEng, PhD, MBA, CEng, FIMechE
Dr David Linden brings over 30 years of senior leadership experience across research, product development, marketing, and commercial strategy in healthcare. In his current respiratory roles with the Health Innovation Network, he leads cross-organisational initiatives spanning industry and the NHS, to assess the real-world impact of innovations on patients and the healthcare system, finding the most promising solutions for national NHS adoption programmes. With a proven track record in invention and business development, David is driven by a passion for identifying and accelerating game-changing innovations that tackle the NHS’s toughest challenges, stimulate economic growth, and deliver measurable improvements in patient outcomes.

Futures, Foresight and Horizon Scanning Conference 2025
2025-11-19 - 2025-11-20 | The Catalyst, Science Square, Newcastle Helix,, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5TG, United Kingdom
This year’s conference is shaped by the central theme of Equity, Ethics and Inclusivity — a call to action for more responsible, transparent, and equitable approaches to shaping the future of health and care. As we face rapid technological advancements, shifting societal needs, and increasingly complex health challenges, we must ensure that innovation works for everyone, not just the few. Across all discussions and sessions, we will be exploring how equity, ethics, and inclusivity is embedded into foresight, research, and decision-making practices from the outset. Through this lens, we will explore the following key sub-themes :

Advancing Horizon Scanning, Foresight & Futures Methodologies – Exploring cutting-edge methodologies in horizon scanning, foresight & futures.
Emerging Disruptors – A deep dive into new and transformative trends, such as AI-driven health solutions, digital transformation, and sector-wide challenges
Insight to Implementation – Bridging the gap between horizon scanning, foresight, futures thinking, and real-world adoption of technology and innovation.

What to look forward to

Engaging keynote presentations from leaders in health, technology, ethics, and futures thinking
Interactive workshops designed to challenge assumptions and generate inclusive, future-focused dialogue
Themed presentations showcasing leading-edge work across foresight, innovation, and policy
A curated exhibition highlighting responsible and inclusive innovation in practice
Meaningful networking opportunities with cross-sector professionals
An optional conference meal on Wednesday 19th November at Blackfriars Restaurant in Newcastle

PRISM Conference 2025 Navigating Career Pathways Together
2025-11-19 09:00 - 17:30 | Online, United Kingdom
University of Warwick on Wednesday 19 November, and online.
Following the success of previous national PRISM Network conferences in Manchester and York, this year’s event will take place at the University of Warwick on Wednesday 19 November, and online.
The in-person venue is Scarman Conference Centre (Take a virtual tour of Scarman | Warwick Conferences), which is located on campus.
The theme for 2025 is Navigating Career Pathways Together, with discussions focusing on skills, backgrounds, progression routes, and porosity – the sectors PRISMs come from and move into.
Our interactive sessions will explore career development, recognition, and how we can continue to strengthen the professional identity of, and future opportunities for, PRISM roles.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
We are committed to ensuring that our conference is inclusive and accessible to all. In selecting speakers, we seek to represent a diverse range of backgrounds, career stages, disciplines, and perspectives.
To support wider participation, the event will be delivered in a hybrid format, enabling engagement both in person and online. Travel bursaries are available for those without access to other sources of funding, and assistive technologies will be in place to ensure that all participants, whether attending remotely or on site, can fully take part.
Programme
Sessions highlighted in bold will also be available to online participants.
Time Activity
09:15 – 10:00 Arrival & Registration
10:00 – 10:10 Welcome
10:10 – 10:35 PRISM Network Update
10:35 – 11:15
Panel: Exploring Diverse PRISM Career Pathways
Early-stage and senior PRISMs share their journeys.
Chair: Dr Helen Turner, Director, Midlands Innovation
11:15 – 11:35 Coffee Break
11:35 – 12:15
Panel: Enablers and Barriers to Progression
Success stories and exploration of challenges for current and future PRISMs.
Chair: Ash Collins, Senior Project Manager REC HURDLE, University of Nottingham
12:15 – 12:35 PRISM Trends and Future Directions
12:35 – 12:50 Buddy Scheme Launch
12:50 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:00 Your Career Progression Journey
15:00 – 16:00
Showcase: Sharing Best Practice
16:00 – 16:30 Reflections & Next Steps
16:30 – 17:15 Informal Networking
17:30 Close

Cutting Edge Precision: The Future of Robotic Surgery
2025-11-19 15:30 - 17:00 | Microsoft Teams

(Webinar) InFocus: Delivering a Neighbourhood Health Service with Jack Sansum
2025-11-20 11:00 - 11:45
InFocus: Delivering a Neighbourhood Health Service with Jack Sansum
Join NHS Confederation colleague Jack Sansum to hear what’s next for neighbourhood health
In light of the government’s ambition set out in the 10-Year Health Plan to create a National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, join Jack Sansum from the NHS Confederation’s Neighbourhood Health team to explore what implementation of this new model of care might look like.
Tailored for the Confed’s associate members, this session will provide insights into the shift to a neighbourhood health service, as well as the challenges and opportunities for the future of community-embedded health provision. Jack Sansum, Assistant Director of Neighbourhood Health, will lead this session’s presentation; there will then be an opportunity for Q&A.
InFocus is a series of virtual events that help you to engage with NHS Confederation colleagues, understand the key issues affecting our members and learn more about how you can support NHS leaders.

Tackling cancer inequalities through interdisciplinary research
2025-11-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Online, United Kingdom
Explore our research priorities to transform understanding of cancer biology and its intersection with health disparities and inequalities

Nearly 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Yet one of the greatest remaining challenges is understanding how and why cancers affect people differently.
Marked differences remain in risk factor exposure, incidence, stage at diagnosis, treatment and outcomes across the UK, mainly driven by inequalities. For example, cancer death rates are nearly 60% higher for people living in the most deprived areas of the UK compared with the least deprived.
What is the role and contribution of biology underlying these differences?
How do these biological mechanisms intersect with environmental, social and other drivers to contribute to inequalities and health disparities in cancer?
Addressing these key research areas is one of the ambitious goals of our new EDI in research strategic approach.
Join our webinar to hear the perspectives of experts working across disciplines to address cancer inequalities.
You’ll also learn more about how we plan to stimulate research in this area and how you can get involved through upcoming funding opportunities.
Meet our speakers and co-chairs:
Fieke Froeling, Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Glasgow and Team SAMBAI, Cancer Grand Challenges
Alastair Lamb, Senior Clinical Lecturer, Barts Cancer Institute and Honorary Consultant Urological Surgeon, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital
Sue Astley Theodossiadis, Professor of Intelligent Medical Imaging, The University of Manchester.
Bernard Rachet, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, LSHTM and Inequalities of Cancer Outcomes Network Lead
Faaria Mohammed, Patient representative, member of our Research and Strategy Cancer Insights Panel
Mathew Tata, Research Programme Manager, EDI in Research Lead, Cancer Research UK
Shewly Choudhury, Head of Research Careers and Culture, Cancer Research UK

Insider’s guide to developing your healthtech innovation in the UK
2025-11-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Online, United Kingdom
Looking to develop and evaluate your HealthTech innovation in the UK? Join us for an insider’s guide to navigating the UK health and care research ecosystem and understanding the support available through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
This session will explore how NIHR’s HealthTech Research Centres and wider research infrastructure can help you design, test and generate the evidence you need to bring your technology to patients faster.
Hosted by Dr Sajni Haria, Business Development Lead at NIHR, the session will feature:
• Ravi Chana, Executive Director, Diagnostics at the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), who will share industry insights and the value of partnering with NIHR to navigate the UK landscape effectively.
• Professor Richard Dobson, Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer at CogStack, who will share real-world experience of collaborating with the NIHR Life Sciences Industry Hub to accelerate development, evaluation and adoption of data-driven HealthTech.
Join us to gain practical insights and learn how working with NIHR can help you successfully develop, evaluate and launch your HealthTech innovation in the UK. To find out more about NIHR’s free support for the life sciences industry, visit: nihr.ac.uk/support-and-services/industry

NICE & NIHR: Enabling HealthTech Development and Uptake
2025-11-28 10:00 - 11:00 | Online, United Kingdom
Learn how NICE and the NIHR HRC Network support industry in developing and adopting HealthTech across the health and care system.

Summary
This seminar will be jointly delivered by the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre Network and the NICE Advice team. You’ll benefit from unrivalled expertise in healthtech evidence generation and evaluation and hear valuable insights from NIHR and NICE about how to make the most of opportunities for healthtech development and evaluation support.
What we’ll cover

The role of NIHR HealthTech Research Centres
How NIHR supports HealthTech development, including evidence generation
How technologies are selected for NICE evaluation
NICE’s lifecycle approach to evaluating HealthTech
How NICE advice can support HealthTech

IP guidance for the NHS – webinar for organisations providing or commissioning NHS services
2025-12-02 11:00 - 12:00 | Online, United Kingdom
As part of the launch of the new IP guidance, DHSC and NHSE are hosting a series of webinars designed to help the system gain a deeper understanding of the guidance and its objectives, as well as to provide opportunities for Q&A. This webinar is tailored to organisations that provide or commission NHS services.

Audience: Those responsible for the management of IP within an organisation providing or commissioning NHS services (e.g., commercial, research, innovation, finance teams, and senior managers and executive teams). These organisations include, but are not limited to, NHS trusts, ICBs, primary care and community care organisations. In cases where the ownership of IP is unclear, this webinar is directed at executive teams within organisations.

Content: The webinar will cover:

An introduction to intellectual property as set out in the new guidance
A walk through of the guidance: what it looks like, who it applies to, and the good practice principles
Actions organisations providing or commissioning NHS services are expected to take
Case studies from guest speakers, sharing real-world examples of IP management in their own organisations. These will include practical approaches, challenges and solutions to help apply good practice principles

Manchester Health Series 2025/2026
2025-12-03 08:00 - 17:00
The free-of-charge events in Manchester will take place on:
3rd December 2025 (Companion Diagnostics)
26th March 2026 (Nuclear Medicine)
They will feature keynote speakers, fireside chats, roundtable discussions, expos, pitch sessions, one-to-one clinics (where possible), super connect networking sessions, and more. Empact Ventures will support you to get super connected with potential partners, clients, funders or business support during and after the event through its warm, curated email introductions process, in addition to your networking.
To reserve your place, please fill in the registration form below, and if you have any questions, please email jemma@empact-ventures.com

UK Concussion Conference - Pathway Challenges and Innovation Opportunities
2025-12-05 09:30 - 17:00
UK Concussion Conference – Pathway Challenges and Innovation Opportunities
Join us for the UK Concussion Conference, where we’ll dive into the challenges faced in the world of concussion and upcoming opportunities and collaborations to support innovation and drive national change.
Whether you’re a healthcare or sports professional, researcher, innovator, or just interested in concussion, this event is for you!
Event Details:

Date: Friday December 5, 2025 at 9:30 AM (GMT)
Venue: TBA (in London)
Keynote Address: Professor Lucy Chappell, DHSC Chief Scientific Adviser and NIHR Chief Executive Officer

Hear from experts in concussion and public health as well as policy makers; engage in thought-provoking discussions; and network with like-minded individuals.
Attendance is free, but spaces are limited. Book your place now!

IP guidance for the NHS – webinar for innovators
2025-12-05 12:30 - 13:30 | Online, United Kingdom
As part of the launch of the new IP guidance, DHSC and NHSE are hosting a series of webinars designed to help the system gain a deeper understanding of the guidance and its objectives, as well as to provide opportunities for Q&A. This webinar is tailored to innovators.

Audience: Clinical and non-clinical innovators currently working in the NHS, innovators who are looking to, or are interested in, getting their innovations into the NHS, and patient entrepreneurs

Content:

An introduction to intellectual property as set out in the new guidance
A walk through of the guidance: what it looks like, who it applies to, and the good practice principles
What the guidance means for innovators
Case studies from innovators, sharing real-world examples of navigating IP management within the NHS for their innovations

Thinking about applying for the Women in Innovation Awards?
2026-01-08 11:30 - 12:30 | Online, United Kingdom
As announced in the Autumn Budget, the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards are back and they’re more ambitious than ever!
To help you determine if this award is right for you, we’ve created a quick suitability checker and on-demand videos packed with guidance to support your application.
Access suitability checker and support videos
Join our Live Q&A webinar
8 January 2026 | 11:30 – 12:30 | Online
During the webinar, we’ll answer common questions about the awards. Submit your questions in advance via the form linked on the event page below.
Please note that the application window has been extended to allow for downtime and caring responsibilities over the festive period. The Awards are open for 10 weeks rather than the usual 8 and will close on 4 February 2026 at 11am.
Good luck with your application. We can’t wait to meet our next cohort of Women in Innovation!

Measure Twice, Cut Once: one day workshop
2026-01-09 09:30 - 16:30 | 41 Portland Place, 41 Portland Place, London, W1B 1QH, United Kingdom
Get ready to deep dive into the world of intraoperative measurements and feedback in this one day interactive workshop.

Across surgical specialties, intraoperative measurements have become the bridge between device placement and physiological function, ensuring that every implant not only fits anatomically but performs as intended within the body’s complex biological systems.
In this one-day workshop, we will bring together a diverse group of experts (including surgeons, engineers, health economists and PPIE representatives), using exemplars from cardiology, neurosurgery, urology, and emerging neurostimulation domains to share ideas of how intraoperative sensing and feedback are transforming surgical precision and outcomes.

Advancing Cardiovascular Monitoring: From Radar Sensing to Wearable Emergency Detection
2026-01-14 15:00 - 16:00 | Online, United Kingdom
In this webinar, Ela Gruzewska (Google) and Jake Sunshine (University of Washington and Google), will explore new advances in using consumer devices aimed at improved cardiovascular monitoring. Their talks will range from heart-rate sensing using radar to detecting cardiac arrest using commodity sensors and wearables.
Jake Sunshine will explore how passive sensing on commodity devices can be employed to recognise life-threatening cardiac and breathing emergencies.
He will discuss:
Research and development of systems to detect cardiopulmonary emergencies with a focus on watch-based detection of cardiac arrest.
The challenges involved in constructing these systems as well as lessons learned in real world deployment.
Ela Gruzewska will explain how Google’s research demonstrated transfer learning between consumer-grade radar modalities, specifically from Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) to Ultra-Wideband (UWB) radar, for heart-rate monitoring. Drawing on this work, Ela will highlight how transfer learning can reduce the need for new, device-specific data collection, accelerating research and development in the field.
This session will be especially valuable for researchers, clinicians, digital-health developers.

Soft Robotics for Healthcare 26 - Shaping the Future of Soft Robotics in Health
2026-01-19 08:00 - 2026-01-20 17:00 | Engineer’s House, The Promenade, Avon Clifton Down, Brsitol, BS8 3NB, United Kingdom
Welcome to SoRoH 2026, the UK’s flagship event for soft robotics in healthcare
Following our over-subscribed inaugural conference in 2024, we’re proud to return with a better, more ambitious programme. In January 2026, we’re bringing together a broad mix of researchers, clinicians, engineers, policymakers, regulators, and innovators from across the UK and beyond, all working to accelerate the translation of soft robotic technologies into real-world healthcare.
Soft robotics is transforming how we think about the way robotics can impact healthcare systems—from surgical tools that move with the body to wearable assistive devices and implantables that respond intelligently to human physiology. At SoRoH 2026, we’ll explore how this rapidly evolving field can address unmet and emergent health needs, improve patient outcomes, and reshape medical practice.

An Introduction to Open Access and Open Research for NIHR Researchers
2026-01-20 12:30 - 13:30 | Online, United Kingdom

Forging Your Research Pathway: Exploring development opportunities with the NIHR and beyond
2026-01-22 13:00 - 16:30 | Online, United Kingdom
We’re excited to invite you to our inaugural Associate PI Scheme Alumni online virtual event titled, “Forging Your Research Pathway: Exploring development opportunities with the NIHR and beyond”.
This half-day event is aimed at alumni of the Associate PI Scheme, the Principal Investigator Pipeline Programme (PIPP) and Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework as well as anyone interested in expanding their research horizons, learning from experienced colleagues, and connecting with the wider NIHR and research community.
At this event, you can expect to:
hear inspiring alumni stories and career journeys
explore development opportunities with the NIHR and beyond
gain practical guidance on progressing your research career
Who can attend?
While the event is primarily aimed at Alumni, all Health and Care professionals are warmly welcome. Whether you’re looking to advance your career, explore new research opportunities, or connect with like-minded colleagues.

A Masterclass in the Design and Conduct of Complex Intervention Evaluations
2026-01-26 08:00 - 17:00 | Microsoft Teams
This will be an online course, running across three consecutive Mondays on January 26th, February 2nd & 9th 2026.

Teaching will take place live online.

There will be a strong emphasis on practical exercises where participants will gain hands-on experience in the design and conduct of complex intervention evaluations, using a variety of real-life examples.

Topics covered include:

What makes an intervention complex?
An overview of existing frameworks
The role of pilot and feasibility studies
Trial design for complex intervention evaluation
Intervention implementation and the role of a process evaluation
Practical considerations in the set-up and delivery of complex intervention trials

Registration is via the University of Leeds Store (link below). An early bird rate of £475 will be available until Friday 19th December 2025. The subsequent registration fee will be £525. Registration will close on Friday 21st January 2026.

Book your place here.

Please feel free to circulate this email or pass it on to any colleagues you feel may be interested. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Northern Medtech Connect Networking Event
2026-01-27 09:30 - 12:30 | Platform, New Station Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4JB, United Kingdom
Hosted by Bruntwood and sponsored by Pd-m, Northern MedTech Connect brings together medtech professionals from across the North for a relaxed and inclusive morning of conversation, connection and collaboration.
Northern MedTech Connect is an initiative sparked by Laura Friedl-Hirst, Managing Director of LFH Regulatory, who is working alongside a group of peers to build a supportive and welcoming community for medtech professionals at every stage of their journey.
These events are designed to be informal and accessible — a space where ideas, relationships and opportunities can flourish, whether you’re new to medtech, scaling a business, or operating on the global stage.

An introduction to Real World Data at Leeds Teaching Hospitals
2026-01-28 15:00 - 16:30 | Online, United Kingdom
Speaker: Ben Williams – Real World Data and Research Informatics Manager, LTHT
What you’ll learn:

The real-world data available at the Trust
How real-world data is being used for research
How to request access, including indicative costs and guidance for de-identification

National HealthTech Series (Southampton)
2026-01-29 08:30 - 16:30 | Axis Conference Centre 2 Venture Road Chilworth SO16 7NP, United Kingdom
Join our free HealthTech event to be super connected with innovators, clinicians, investors and more in the HealthTechcluster
About this event
Business • Startups
About the Event
Join our free-of-charge events across the UK to be super connected with innovators, SMEs, clinicians, academics, investors, private healthcare organisations and more
This exciting event in Southampton will include keynote speakers and fireside chats, panel discussions, innovation pitching sessions, roundtable discussions for all attendees, a business support expo, and more
Delivery Partners
The National HealthTech Series is powered by Empact Ventures in partnership with:
University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust’s Southampton Emerging Therapies and Technologies Centre
NIHR HealthTech Research Centre for Accelerated Surgical Care
Super Connections:
Those who register, opt-in and attend on the day will be super-connected to 5 potential partners, clients, funders, collaborators and/or business support organisations within and outside the event that broadly match their needs, facilitated as warm email introductions by the Empact Ventures team of super connectors. This is in addition to those you meet during the event. Read more in the ‘Rise of the Super Connectors’ piece here
Note: If you indicate on the Eventbrite registration form that you’d like to be super connected, you will be sent a separate form to fill in before the event to select your preferences.

2026 NIHR Post Doctoral Event: Thriving in Transition
2026-01-29 09:30 - 17:00
The event will be a day of talks, networking and insights for post-doctoral researchers from all fields of health and social care research to successfully navigate this pivotal, and sometimes challenging stage of their career.

The event is open to any researchers at a postdoctoral career stage or in the final year of their PhD interested in pursuing their career with NIHR. If the event is oversubscribed in-person places will be selected to achieve a balance of attendees.

Health economic evaluation of interventions to prevent and treat MLTC - challenges and opportunities
2026-01-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Online, United Kingdom

Masterclass in the Design and Conduct of Complex Intervention Evaluations
2026-02-02 08:00 - 17:00 | Online, United Kingdom
