ORCHA and NIA partner to fast-track digital health solutions

Digital health assurance firm ORCHA is working with the NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA) to support its latest intake of fellows.

The NIA was created in partnership between NHS England, the Health Innovation Network and the Accelerated Access Collaborative in 2015, to help scale proven healthcare innovations to tackle the NHS’s biggest challenges.

ORCHA, will carry out due diligence on the 24 incoming NIA fellows’ solutions before they are confirmed into the programme, to ensure they meet essential clinical, regulatory, data protection and compliance requirements.

Liz Ashall-Payne, founder and chief executive of ORCHA and an NIA alumni fellow, said: “The NHS Innovation Accelerator played a huge role in my own journey, so it is a real privilege for ORCHA to be able to support the next generation of Fellows.

“Making sure products meet compliance requirements early on is essential for building trust and helping innovations scale, ultimately improving care for patients across the country.”

ORCHA’s early assessment will help to ensure that the innovations are safe and ready to scale within the NHS and give NHS organisations confidence that they meet the standards required for wider adoption.

Alongside due diligence, ORCHA will also support NIA Fellows with market access and distribution, both across the UK and internationally, including opportunities in North America.

Mindy Simon, co-director at the NIA, said: “Working with ORCHA strengthens our ability to support fellows as they prepare to scale their innovations.

“Having this level of due diligence in place helps ensure products are ready to meet NHS requirements and deliver real impact for patients and services.”

The NIA has introduced innovations to more than 3,000 sites, saving the NHS more than £38 million in efficiencies and improvements. It has also secured over £130m in external investment.

Simon and fellow NIA co-director Jack Porter, joined the Digital Health Unplugged podcast in September to discuss how the NHS can attract more innovators from underrepresented groups. You can listen to the episode here.

Attendees at Digital Health Rewired 2026 will get the chance to meet the next cohort of NIA fellows and hear how their innovations aim to impact healthcare services and patients.

Rewired is taking place at the NEC Birmingham on 24-25 March 2026. Register here.