A new £2.6 million fund is being made available to develop high tech projects to support the health service tackle the coronavirus.
The UK Space Agency has opened a call for proposals process to fund successful projects that might use satellite data and drone technology to meet some of the challenges.
An initial £2.6 million is being made available to fund a number of projects, in a joint initiative with the European Space Agency (ESA) in support of NHS England. The space-enabled solutions could include satellite communications, satellite navigation, Earth observation satellites or technology derived from human spaceflight.
The funding is for projects to support logistics, such as using drones for deliveries, to manage outbreaks of the disease and support population health and wellbeing.
Professor Tony Young, the NHS national clinical lead for innovation, said “Everyone in the NHS is working hard to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and provide the best possible care for all our patients, and to do this we’ve looked outside the health service as well as to existing NHS services, including actively seeking to work with private sector providers and other businesses who can support NHS care.”
“This is a global crisis that would overwhelm any health service on earth without strong action from the public and their public services, which is why the NHS is looking to industries across the world – or indeed from out of this world – for new and exciting innovations that could help improve the care we provide to patients or help the NHS respond to this pandemic.”
Amanda Solloway, Science Minister said “From new advanced software helping speed up cancer diagnoses to satellite communications connecting GPs to patients virtually, the UK space sector has been world leading in applying its innovations to supporting our brilliant NHS.”
“This new funding will ensure that the latest innovations will be on the frontline of tackling the unique problems the coronavirus outbreak has created, helping medical staff to focus on delivering world-class care.”
Find out more and apply for funding here.
