Current projects

The PureWick / RELIEF project is an innovation developed at University Hospitals of Leicester by Paul Bird, Clinical Scientist, and Elinor Howcroft, Continence Lead Nurse, addressing a clinical challenge affecting incontinent female patients who require urine sampling.

Drawing on their frontline experience, the team developed an innovative, non-invasive approach to urine collection and established a collaborative partnership with BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) to evaluate and refine the approach through the RELIEF study.

The study aims to evaluate a more dignified, less invasive and more reliable method of obtaining urine samples from women experiencing bladder control problems. By reducing the need for urinary catheterisation solely to obtain a sample, the approach has the potential to improve patient comfort and dignity, reduce catheter-associated complications and infection risk, and support faster diagnosis and treatment.

The project has already achieved significant research and innovation milestones.

A research grant of more than £100,000 has been secured to support the RELIEF study, alongside the development of a collaborative relationship with BD.

A patent application has also been filed with the UK Intellectual Property Office on behalf of UHL, helping protect the intellectual property arising from the innovation and creating the foundations for potential future commercialisation.

How the Health Innovation Hub is supporting scale and growth

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting the project across intellectual property, partnership development and commercialisation, helping create a pathway from research through to potential wider NHS adoption.

Current support includes:

• Working in partnership with the University of Leicester to support protection of the intellectual property behind the innovation
• Supporting the project team and partners through the patent application process to help safeguard UHL’s future commercial interests
• Strengthening the strategic relationship with BD as the research collaboration develops
• Connecting the project with Health Innovation East Midlands for specialist commercialisation support
• Supporting development of a commercialisation plan and pathway towards wider NHS adoption following completion of the RELIEF study
• Connecting the project with academic, industry and innovation partners to help overcome barriers and accelerate progress
• Exploring future opportunities for licensing, royalties and other sustainable commercial routes for UHL

The immediate ambition is to successfully deliver the RELIEF study and build the evidence required to understand the clinical value of the innovation.

Alongside the research, the Health Innovation Hub will continue to support the team to protect UHL’s intellectual property and develop a clear commercialisation pathway.

If the study demonstrates positive outcomes, the longer-term ambition is to support wider adoption across NHS organisations and explore opportunities for licensing or royalty income, demonstrating how frontline NHS innovation can improve patient care while creating sustainable commercial value for UHL.

The Active Bystander Programme (ABP) is an established workforce innovation and culture transformation programme designed to give staff the confidence and practical skills to recognise and challenge inappropriate workplace behaviours, including incivility, bullying, harassment, sexual safety concerns and rudeness.

Following four years of delivery across the local Integrated Care System, the programme has transferred to University Hospitals of Leicester. It aligns with key workforce and organisational priorities including patient safety, staff engagement, equality, diversity and inclusion, and improving organisational culture.

Poor workplace behaviours can have significant consequences for staff and organisations, contributing to sickness absence, staff turnover, complaints, conduct cases and wider impacts on patient and staff experience. ABP aims to give more people the confidence and skills to challenge these behaviours and contribute to a safer, more inclusive workplace culture.

The programme also has the potential to support under-represented groups who may experience greater barriers to speaking up, helping create a culture where staff feel better equipped to challenge incivility and inappropriate behaviour.

The Active Bystander Programme has been delivered across the ICS for approximately four years and has generated positive feedback and evidence around staff confidence and competence to speak up.

The programme has also received recognition through an HSJ Award and is now established and ready for further scale and commercialisation.

Supporting scale and growth

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting the Active Bystander Programme as a workforce innovation, helping the team scale the programme across UHL while developing its potential for wider external commissioning.

Current support includes:

• Connecting the programme into the Health Innovation Network for specialist innovation and commercialisation support
• Supporting access to funding opportunities to help develop and scale the programme
• Working alongside Health Innovation East Midlands and the innovators to develop a structured commercialisation plan, including costing, pricing and route to market
• Supporting promotion, communications and engagement to increase awareness and showcase the programme
• Providing operational and project management support to enable further scale across UHL
• Connecting the programme with relevant NHS and external partners to explore wider adoption and commissioning opportunities

The ambition is to further scale and embed the Active Bystander Programme across UHL while developing a sustainable model that can be commissioned externally.

The next phase will focus on scaling delivery, strengthening the evidence and impact case, developing the commercial offer and identifying opportunities for external commissioning.

Longer term, the ambition is to establish ABP as a scalable workforce innovation that can support other NHS organisations to improve workplace culture, staff experience, inclusion and patient safety, while creating opportunities for sustainable commercial income.

TheatreFlow AI is an innovative machine-learning tool developed at Glenfield Hospital by Rayhaan Mohammed, Thoracic Surgery Registrar, in collaboration with Andrew Quinn. The innovation aims to improve theatre scheduling by predicting surgical and anaesthetic times for individual patients using routinely collected pre-operative data.

An audit of 634 thoracic surgery cases found that 78% were booked inaccurately, with an average overrun of 43 minutes. TheatreFlow AI provides a more accurate, data-driven approach to theatre planning, helping teams identify potentially over-ambitious theatre lists earlier and reduce overruns, lost theatre capacity and avoidable on-the-day cancellations.

Early results from TheatreFlow AI have been promising. In prospective validation involving 38 previously unseen cases, 60% of the tool’s predictions were within 15 minutes of the actual operative time, compared with 26% using traditional booking methods.

The work has already been presented at the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery conference, with a peer-reviewed publication currently in preparation.

Supporting scale and growth

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting TheatreFlow AI through a structured innovation pathway, connecting the project with specialist expertise and partners to support its development, evaluation and future scale.

Current support has included:

• Providing access to the Health Innovation East Midlands partnership model, including specialist value proposition support
• Supporting the formal recording and storage of the innovation’s intellectual property with the University of Leicester
• Offering Health Innovation Hub funding support to help progress the innovation into its next stage of development and evaluation
• Connecting the project into One Digital, which has assigned a dedicated project manager and dedicated support time to provide project structure, governance and coordination
• Connecting the project with relevant clinical, digital, academic and innovation partners
• Supporting the pathway towards clinical evaluation, wider NHS adoption and potential commercialisation

The next stage is a thoracic surgery pilot comparing TheatreFlow AI predictions against actual theatre times on live theatre lists to assess accuracy, impact and potential benefits.

If successful, the ambition is to scale the framework across other surgical specialties at UHL, with each specialty having its own clinical lead and supporting a more consistent, data-driven approach to theatre scheduling.

Longer term, there is potential for TheatreFlow AI to contribute to national theatre scheduling solutions, supporting better theatre utilisation, fewer cancellations and an improved experience for patients and staff. As the evidence base develops, the team will also explore opportunities for commercialisation and wider adoption across other NHS organisations and healthcare settings.

I-IMPACT is an award-winning online self-management programme designed to support people living with long-term cardiac, respiratory and Covid-related conditions. The programme helps users manage symptoms, improve quality of life and reduce the impact of long-term conditions through personalised rehabilitation, education and behavioural support.

Developed by rehabilitation specialists, clinical experts and patients, the programme is designed to be clinically robust and user-centred. It builds on over 10 years of experience from the University Hospitals of Leicester Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation teams, who developed successful digital programmes including Activate Your Heart, SPACE for COPD and Your Covid Recovery. Evidence from these programmes shows improvements in patient knowledge, exercise performance and overall wellbeing.

I-IMPACT is accessible across mobile phones, tablets and desktop devices, ensuring flexible and inclusive access for patients.

Key features

• Exercise and rehabilitation – Personalised exercise programmes following clinical assessment with activity goals and progress tracking.
• Symptom tracking – Tools to monitor symptoms and understand changes in condition.
• Educational resources – Guidance on condition management, medications and healthy lifestyle.
• Goals and motivation – Goal-setting tools to support behaviour change and engagement.
• Clinical support – Messaging feature enabling users to contact their rehabilitation team for advice and reassurance.

Supporting scale and growth

The ambition for I-IMPACT is to scale from a successful local programme into a regionally and nationally adopted digital rehabilitation pathway for long-term condition management across the NHS.

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting this scale-up by working with clinical, academic and industry partners to strengthen the clinical, regulatory and commercial foundations required for growth. This includes supporting clinical evaluation, regulatory readiness, MHRA compliance, commercial development, funding opportunities and wider NHS partnerships.

For more information visit the I-IMPACT website:
https://www.i-impact.co.uk/

Smart Scalpel UK is an award-winning surgical education innovation led by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust designed to enhance surgical training through ethically governed, simulation-based video learning. The project uses anonymised surgical footage with informed patient consent, dual-surgeon commentary and clearly defined learning objectives to bridge the gap between real-world operative experience and trainee education.

Since August 2024, Smart Scalpel UK has produced 10 high-quality training videos supported by a structured feedback framework that enables continuous improvement, reflective learning and portfolio development for trainees.

Feedback demonstrates 100% perceived usefulness and 90% reported influence on clinical practice highlighting impact on confidence, competence and patient safety.

The innovation has received national and international recognition including First Place at the Midlands Simulations Conference (2025), the Innovation in Education Award at the UHL Educator Awards (2025) and international showcasing at FIGO 2025.

Supporting scale and growth 

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting Smart Scalpel UK in scaling from a successful local innovation into a wider regional, national and international education platform. Working alongside clinical teams and strategic partners, the Hub is providing hands-on support across funding, branding, communications, engagement and commercial development. 

Current support includes: 

• supporting brand development, launch planning and content strategy to strengthen visibility and adoption
• creating a structured communications and engagement plan to reach clinicians, trainees, partners and national stakeholders
• developing digital content, case studies and impact storytelling to build credibility and awareness
• supporting early-stage funding applications and investment opportunities 
• connecting regional, academic, NHS and industry partners to enable scale 
• supporting commercial strategy development, licensing pathways and sustainability planning
• coordinating stakeholder engagement and relationship-building to accelerate uptake
• working alongside partners to shape a scalable delivery model that enables wider rollout

Oxford Medical Simulation (OMS) is a global leader in virtual reality (VR) medical education, delivering immersive, scenario-based training that helps clinicians practise complex clinical situations in a safe, realistic environment. OMS VR enables junior doctors and clinical teams to develop decision-making, communication, leadership and clinical confidence by simulating high-pressure scenarios such as acutely unwell patients, cardiac emergencies and escalation of care without risk to real patients. 
Research shows that VR-based simulation improves clinical confidence, knowledge retention, and decision-making under pressure and patient safety outcomes. Immersive training has also been shown to increase learner engagement, accelerate skills acquisition and offer a scalable, cost-effective alternative to traditional simulation training.

Innovation background and relaunch journey

OMS VR was previously launched within the organisation as an innovation to support junior doctor training and received strong early feedback. However, delivery was paused due to funding constraints, limiting its ability to scale and embed long-term. 
Recognising the value and impact of the programme, the Health Innovation Hub stepped in to support funding recovery and prelaunch. The Hub has helped secure funding and is now working in close partnership with Oxford Medical Simulation and clinical education teams to launch in the coming months and expand VR training across the organisation. 

Supporting scale and growth

The Health Innovation Hub is actively supporting the relaunch, expansion and scalability of OMS VR by: 
Securing and coordinating funding to restart and sustain delivery 
Working in partnership with Oxford Medical Simulation to increase outreach and scalability 
Supporting programme planning, rollout, and operational delivery 
Supporting communications, awareness, and engagement campaigns to drive uptake 
Capturing impact data, feedback, and evaluation outcomes to support future scale 
Developing a sustainable and scalable delivery model for long-term regional expansion 

Future ambition

The ambition is to scale OMS VR from a junior doctor training programme into a trust-wide immersive training platform for clinical staff in the long term supporting multidisciplinary workforce development, patient safety and system resilience. The Health Innovation Hub aims to embed VR simulation as a core component of modern clinical education, with future potential to expand across specialties, partner organisations, and the wider region. 

Visit the Oxford Medical Simulation website for more information.

What the innovation is

MeMed BV is an innovative point-of-care blood test that helps clinicians rapidly distinguish between bacterial and viral respiratory infections. The test supports faster and more informed clinical decision-making, helping ensure patients receive the most appropriate treatment and care pathway.

The innovation was introduced within the Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) service at Glenfield Hospital following successful evaluation work delivered in partnership with Health Innovation East Midlands during winter 2024/25.

Delivered collaboratively with the Specialist Pneumonia Intervention Nurse (SPIN) team, Glenfield SDEC and the Point-of-Care Testing team, MeMed BV supports earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment decisions for patients presenting with respiratory symptoms.

Key benefits

• Faster diagnosis – Supports rapid identification of bacterial and viral infections at the point of care.
• Improved patient flow – Enables earlier clinical decision-making, helping patients receive the right care sooner.
• Reduced avoidable admissions – Supports safe management of appropriate patients at home and helps reduce pressure on hospital capacity.
• Antimicrobial stewardship – Promotes more targeted antibiotic prescribing and supports efforts to reduce antimicrobial resistance.
• Enhanced patient experience – Reduces uncertainty and supports timely access to appropriate treatment.
• Supporting sustainability and future implementation

Following successful initial deployment, work is ongoing to explore opportunities to support the continued use of MeMed BV within the service and evaluate opportunities for wider implementation across UHL.

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting this work by bringing together clinical, operational and external partners to explore sustainable funding models, service benefits and future scalability.

How the Health Innovation Hub is supporting the project

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting the project through:

• Exploring funding opportunities to support continued deployment.
• Supporting evaluation and impact measurement.
• Working with clinical, operational and procurement teams.
• Identifying opportunities to improve patient flow and operational efficiency.
• Supporting antimicrobial stewardship initiatives.
• Exploring opportunities to maximise value from testing kits and consumables.
• Facilitating collaboration with Health Innovation East Midlands and external partners.
• Supporting future scaling opportunities across UHL.

This project reflects the wider ambition of the Health Innovation Hub to support the adoption and scale-up of innovations that improve patient outcomes, enhance staff experience and deliver more efficient healthcare services.

What the innovation is

Little Journey is a digital platform designed to help children and families feel more prepared, informed and confident before attending hospital appointments and procedures.

Developed by healthcare professionals, researchers and families, the platform provides age-appropriate information through virtual hospital tours, procedure explanations, relaxation activities and practical guidance. The aim is to reduce anxiety, improve patient experience and help families better understand what to expect throughout their healthcare journey.

The platform supports children and young people before, during and after hospital visits, helping create a more positive and reassuring experience for both patients and their families.

Key features

• Virtual hospital tours – Helping children become familiar with hospital environments before attending.
• Procedure preparation – Simple explanations and educational content to support understanding of treatments and procedures.
• Relaxation activities – Interactive tools designed to reduce anxiety and support emotional wellbeing.
• Family support resources – Practical guidance and information for parents and carers.
• Digital engagement – Accessible support available before, during and after appointments.

Supporting evaluation and future growth

The ambition for Little Journey is to improve the experience of children and families across a range of patient pathways while supporting services to reduce avoidable cancellations, improve preparation and enhance patient engagement.

Evidence from other healthcare organisations has demonstrated improvements in patient experience, reductions in anxiety and potential operational benefits through reduced cancellations and improved pathway efficiency.

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting evaluation and adoption activity across UHL to better understand the benefits for patients, families and services, while exploring opportunities for future sustainability and wider implementation.

How the Health Innovation Hub is supporting the project

The Health Innovation Hub is supporting the project through:

• Increasing awareness and adoption across UHL services.
• Supporting engagement with clinical teams and stakeholders.
• Delivering workshops and service engagement activity.
• Supporting communications and promotional activity.
• Coordinating data collection and evaluation.
• Assessing patient, workforce and operational benefits.
• Exploring future funding opportunities.
• Supporting long-term sustainability planning.
• Identifying opportunities for wider implementation across UHL.

This project reflects the wider ambition of the Health Innovation Hub to support innovations that improve patient experience, enhance staff engagement and deliver measurable benefits across healthcare services