June 2015

29 June 2015

More can be done to improve the way GP practices deal with patients with stroke symptoms, research from the West Midlands has shown. An article published today (30 June) in the British Journal of General Practice highlights the important role of GP receptionists in directing stroke patients towards timely, emergency care. The RECEPTS study used ‘mystery shopper’ telephone calls from researchers posing as patients with stroke symptoms: around one third of calls were not recognised as emergencies.

Read "GP receptionists need more training to help them recognise stroke survivors in need of urgent care, says research from West Midlands"

24 June 2015

Colleagues from the University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) have hosted a conference for healthcare professionals and patient representatives from across the country to discuss the past, present and future of electronic prescribing (ePrescribing). The event was funded by the West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN) as part of their digital health enabling theme.

Read "Experts meet in Birmingham for ePrescribing conference"

22 June 2015

SBRI Healthcare, an NHS England funded initiative to develop innovative products and services that address unmet health needs, has announced the launch of the latest SBRI Healthcare competition, where up to 12 small businesses could each benefit from £100,000 Phase 1 product development funding.

Read "£100,000 funding awards on offer to small businesses in latest SBRI Healthcare competition"

18 June 2015

As part of the 100,000 Genome Project, the University of Birmingham will be supporting the West Midlands Genomics Medicine Centre by offering a postgraduate genomics course for healthcare professionals.

Read "Birmingham Uni to offer masters in genomic medicine"

18 June 2015

Funding for a PhD is available at the University of Birmingham to study the use of electronic patient records to investigate detection and management of chronic disease, with the aim to identify opportunities for improvement.

Read "Funding available for PhD study into electronic patient records"

17 June 2015

Small and medium sized healthcare and life sciences companies across the West Midlands region are being invited to a free event to gain the tools and skills they need to collaborate on research with the NHS and academics.

Read "Event to help small and medium sized businesses engage with healthcare research"

3 June 2015

The ground-breaking 100,000 Genomes Project - a collaborative programme underpinned by the WMAHSN - has recruited its first patients in the West Midlands. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham has taken blood samples from three patients after they consented to genomic testing. Their complete set of genes – their genome – will now be decoded to help scientists and doctors better understand diseases that will ultimately lead to the design of personalised treatments.

Read "First patients recruited to ground-breaking genome project"

3 June 2015

Health and social care innovators now have until 12 June to express an interest in being part of the Test Beds Programme. The programme invites innovators from any sector in the UK and internationally to express an interest to test their ideas at scale, and in a real clinical setting.

Read "Innovation Test Beds search extended"

3 June 2015

SBRI Healthcare is working with the 15 Academic Health Sciences Networks (AHSNs) to develop the scope for phase 1 of the spring 2015 SBRI Healthcare calls. The overarching competition will be titled ‘Older people with Multi-morbidities’.

Read "Process for SBRI Healthcare spring 2015 competition"

2 June 2015

The West Midlands Academic Health Science Network (WMAHSN) has launched its inaugural annual membership scheme. The scheme is free of charge to all NHS organisations, academic and educational institutions, other public bodies, life sciences industry and private sector companies within the West Midlands region. The participation of private sector organisations based outside the West Midlands is also welcomed in the network.

Read "West Midlands Academic Health Science Network launches membership scheme"

2 June 2015

A new report highlights the transformational contribution being made by the country’s 15 Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) to driving innovation, improving health and promoting economic growth.

Read "AHSNs illustrate impact of driving innovation in new report"