The SHA set up systems and processes to manage the fund with support from experienced fund advisors from NESTA – the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts and the Young Foundation who were appointed by the Department of Health.
In each year, we set out a guidance document for potential applicants which set out the available funding and conditions that would need to be met if the funding was approved.
We stipulated that funding could be applied for by staff or teams in any East Midlands NHS organisation, although non-NHS applications were welcomed if in partnership with an East Midlands NHS organisation.
The assessment process consisted of advisory assessments made by clinical advisors and an SHA evaluation team who checked applications for strategic fit to the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention. A decision-making Fund Core panel oversee the process and scored the shortlisted projects.
We are now supporting the successful projects through implementation.
