Title: NIHR Surgical MedTech Co-operative
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: We will build on the successes of our NIHR Health Technology Co-operative in Colorectal Therapies (HTC), which was established in 2013 to develop new surgical technologies that could be introduced into clinical practice for the benefit of patients suffering with colorectal disease. Within 4 years, the HTC has built up a national network of partners, drawn from academia, clinicians, industry, and patients and public, to identify challenges in surgical healthcare and devise solutions to overcome them. The HTC has established itself as the national network for surgical innovation in colorectal disease and is the ideal platform to launch a new, bigger initiative &ndash; MIC Surgical Technologies. The proposed MIC Surgical Technologies will learn from the experiences of the HTC and adapt its successful strategies to build a new technology network, adding Vascular and Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery to its colorectal theme. These areas of surgery all face substantial challenges, with many people suffering from diseases that will benefit from technological innovation. MIC Surgical Technologies will extend the national reach of the HTC and positively impact on the lives of more patients. The MIC will work closely with all people involved in surgical care. It will undertake a variety of activities to identify new areas in need of innovation, support research to address clinical problems, and provide a resource for evaluating new surgical technologies within the wider context of the NHS. Uniquely, it will provide industry with a means for safely evaluating their products through a structured Surgical Test Bed, and build a programme to develop the next generation of Young Innovators interested in Surgical Technologies. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is ideally placed to host the MIC Surgical Technologies. It is the second biggest healthcare provider in the UK and enjoys close working relationships with the University of Leeds, a leading UK University with strengths in biomedical research. To achieve its goals, MIC Surgical Technologies will be supported by expertise in Physics and Engineering, Pathology, Clinical Trials, and Health Economics. These 4 supporting work streams are critical to developing surgical innovations and assessing their benefit in clinical practice. To ensure that new innovations have a realistic chance of progressing into clinical practice we have added Business Development and Commercialisation as an additional work stream. This provides a comprehensive research and development infrastructure into which we will embed a strong public and patient presence to ensure that innovations are patient-centred and clinical needs focused. Through our programme of research and engagement activities, we will establish MIC Surgical Technologies as the premier national network for improving surgical care through technological innovation. Patients in need of surgical care will have access to new technologies that have been rigorously tested to ensure they are safe, effective, and represent value for money to the NHS. The primary beneficiaries will be surgical patients through improved care, but there will be additional benefits for the UK MedTech sector and the wider UK economy due to our alignment with the government s emerging Industrial Strategy.

Lay abstract: We will build on the successes of our NIHR Health Technology Co-operative in Colorectal Therapies (HTC), which was established in 2013 to develop new surgical technologies that could be introduced into clinical practice for the benefit of patients suffering with colorectal disease. Within 4 years, the HTC has built up a national network of partners, drawn from academia, clinicians, industry, and patients and public, to identify challenges in surgical healthcare and devise solutions to overcome them. The HTC has established itself as the national network for surgical innovation in colorectal disease and is the ideal platform to launch a new, bigger initiative &ndash; MIC Surgical Technologies. The proposed MIC Surgical Technologies will learn from the experiences of the HTC and adapt its successful strategies to build a new technology network, adding Vascular and Hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery to its colorectal theme. These areas of surgery all face substantial challenges, with many people suffering from diseases that will benefit from technological innovation. MIC Surgical Technologies will extend the national reach of the HTC and positively impact on the lives of more patients. The MIC will work closely with all people involved in surgical care. It will undertake a variety of activities to identify new areas in need of innovation, support research to address clinical problems, and provide a resource for evaluating new surgical technologies within the wider context of the NHS. Uniquely, it will provide industry with a means for safely evaluating their products through a structured Surgical Test Bed, and build a programme to develop the next generation of Young Innovators interested in Surgical Technologies. Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is ideally placed to host the MIC Surgical Technologies. It is the second biggest healthcare provider in the UK and enjoys close working relationships with the University of Leeds, a leading UK University with strengths in biomedical research. To achieve its goals, MIC Surgical Technologies will be supported by expertise in Physics and Engineering, Pathology, Clinical Trials, and Health Economics. These 4 supporting work streams are critical to developing surgical innovations and assessing their benefit in clinical practice. To ensure that new innovations have a realistic chance of progressing into clinical practice we have added Business Development and Commercialisation as an additional work stream. This provides a comprehensive research and development infrastructure into which we will embed a strong public and patient presence to ensure that innovations are patient-centred and clinical needs focused. Through our programme of research and engagement activities, we will establish MIC Surgical Technologies as the premier national network for improving surgical care through technological innovation. Patients in need of surgical care will have access to new technologies that have been rigorously tested to ensure they are safe, effective, and represent value for money to the NHS. The primary beneficiaries will be surgical patients through improved care, but there will be additional benefits for the UK MedTech sector and the wider UK economy due to our alignment with the government s emerging Industrial Strategy.

Research activity codes: 5.9 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (TREATMENT DEVELOPMENT);6.9 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (TREATMENT EVALUATION);8.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE