NHS England announces new Adoption Fund for 2022/2023

NHS England has announced its latest Adoption Fund for 2022-2023 which will support the introduction or scaling up of digital innovations that can support people within their own homes.

Integrated Care Systems (ICS) can bid for a share of the fund, if they have a specialty in one of three areas: gastroenterology, musculoskeletal, or respiratory. Funding of up to £200,000 is available for each successful ICS, per specialty.

Last year, NHSX’s Adoption Fund supported 35 projects with a share of £6.5million.

The three clinical workstreams that form the focus of this year’s Adoption Fund are strategically aligned to support elective recovery. Priority criteria outlined by the Adoption Fund will contribute directly to the planned benefits of the Supporting People at Home and Personalised Outpatient programmes.

These programmes aim to reach more people to be supported in their own homes through the use of tech-enabled care. This helps to reduce unnecessary hospital visits and outpatient appointments, minimise travel times and wait times and ensure patients have access to care more quickly when they really need it.

As well as access to funding, NHS England will provide winning ICSs with the opportunity to collaborate with other partners, gain advisory group governance from specialists, have support on hand when it’s needed and join monthly share and learn sessions to support their project’s success.

Applications must be able to demonstrate an existing evidence base in the NHS, and that the innovation can support the current priorities around elective recovery.

It must also be Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC) compliant, or already on the path to being so. Plus innovations should be able to show they have the potential for rapid, wider roll-out NHS-wide.

Applicants have until 31 July 2022 to get their applications in and those shortlisted will be notified shortly after this date. NHS England will announce the awards by the end of August 2022.