Patients at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are set to benefit from over £868,000 awarded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to pay for cutting-edge research equipment and technology.
The funding has been provided for equipment that will support a range of studies investigating new treatments for conditions including mental health, cancer and immune disorders.
On top of this, over £16,400 has been awarded to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. This funding will provide equipment to support clinical research, including technology that can enable investigators to use immediate blood test results, provide high quality imaging for eye conditions, and support cardiovascular research by measuring small blood vessels.
The new equipment is backed by £96 million of NIHR funding being invested in 93 NHS organisations across England. This funding will drive research and innovation to enable scientific discoveries and new technologies to improve the prevention, management and treatment of serious and long-term conditions. It will pay for a range of innovative equipment, including imaging devices, mobile research vehicles, ultrasound equipment, and specialist fridges and freezers that are essential for storing samples used in research.
As well as supporting the NIHR’s cutting-edge research, the awarded £96 million will enhance the ability of NHS organisations to secure further future investment from research funders. This will reaffirm the UK’s position as one of the most attractive places in the world for innovative companies to invest in research.