“Celebrating Success”(from left)Rosemary Kay of RLK Partnerships and Paul Clitheroe and John Webb of Liverpool CCG.
DOUBLE AWARDS SUCCESS FOR LIVERPOOL E-HEALTH CLUSTER
The new organisation set up to forge closer links between Merseyside technology firms and local health and social care businesses is celebrating a double awards success within months of opening its doors.
Social enterprise E-Health Cluster Ltd has just won one prestigious honour and has also been shortlisted for a second award at the end of the month.
E-Health Cluster Ltd was established earlier this year by business support specialists Regenerus, consultants RLK Partnerships and the North West Coast Academic Health Science Network, and is supported with European funding via Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
Its aim is to act as an independent broker, bringing together healthcare, social care and technology SMEs to develop high-tech solutions that will improve the quality of patient care, against the background of an ageing population and increased pressure on resources.
In its first months E-Health Cluster Ltd has already helped 28 new businesses to secure contracts or commissions to the value of £1.25 million, which has impressed the judges of two regional awards schemes.
As a result, the organisation was honoured with the Mayor’s Award for Social Innovation in this week’s SEN Powerful Together Awards, which are designed to celebrate the best in social enterprise across Liverpool City Region.
The award recognised the organisation’s partnership work with private and social SMEs, health and social care commissioners and the region’s academic networks.
Meanwhile, E-Health Cluster Ltd has also been announced as one of the finalists in the 2015 North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards in the ‘standout contribution by a business partner’ category.
These awards are designed to recognise innovative and original thinking, demonstrable healthcare benefits and long-term sustainability.
Cate Murphy, Chief Executive of Regenerus, commented: “Our aim is to highlight the talent we have in this region and promote Merseyside as a centre of excellence for e-health.
“The fact that we have been recognised by these awards schemes so soon after setting up demonstrates that there is a real need for an independent broker to bring together partners and develop solutions.”
Rosemary Kay, Director of RLK Partnerships, added: “We believe in the power of collaboration across sectors, working together to develop a better understanding of t he challenges we face, and to stimulate creative new products and services to address them.”
Dave Horsfield. Liverpool CCG Digital Care and Innovation Programme Lead, said: “This well-deserved SEN award recognises the fantastic contribution the E-Health Cluster is making to regional health innovation, the lives of local people and the economic growth of our local businesses.”