Return to interactive Impact Report

Case study

Harnessing Innovation within our Region

The Innovation Pathway provides the robust structure, and processes, to enable companies to access NHS expertise to grow their business, and ultimately improve patient outcomes in health and social care.

Over 350 innovations registered for support

The Ecosystem is continuing to be developed with over 100 organisations engaged and providing support to innovators navigating the pathway.

We offer bespoke services, delivered by both AHSN NENC staff and our partners across the North East and North Cumbria health ecosystem, covering the entire innovation life cycle, from conception of an idea through to its eventual realisation of commercial success and patient benefit.


Working closely with partners, stakeholders, regional and national networks, we ensure innovations receive the best and most appropriate support possible. Whether an individual or a team, NHS led or a business, innovators from all backgrounds and sectors can access the expertise of the AHSN NENC to have innovations assessed, developed, evaluated, adopted and spread.

During 2021-2022, we enhanced the service offering of the Innovation Pathway and launched OMNIA and the Ecosystem. OMNIA is a platform which accelerates innovation development along the innovation pathway, supported by our ecosystem delivery partners, as part of the ‘Health & Care Tech Innovation Accelerator’. After an initial operationalisation period, the facilitation and support of innovators within the North of Tyne Combined Authority, and across the wider region, is now firmly underway.

OMNIA, which currently has over 350 innovations registered for support, is now in phase two development and during the initial nine-month operational period, 34 companies received support at a strategic level. The Ecosystem is continuing to be developed with over 100 organisations engaged and providing support to innovators navigating the pathway.

Return to interactive Impact Report