New £5 million innovation fund for cutting edge veterans’ healthcare

• Bids open for £5 million funding for innovative projects and cutting edge-tech to enhance veterans’ healthcare

• The Veterans’ Health Innovation Fund will support development of new treatments, techniques and interventions, including through use of AI, virtual reality and regenerative engineering

• Bids sought for initiatives to help enhance female veterans’ healthcare in particular

A new £5 million fund has opened today for projects which will provide innovative healthcare treatments for veterans.

The funding will support organisations looking to research and trail cutting-edge technology which could help veterans with complex healthcare needs.

Veterans sometimes face unique health issues as a result of their military service and the Veterans’ Health Innovation Fund will spur innovation in techniques which will ultimately help treat ex-service personnel who have been injured whilst serving the country.

The fund is now open for a number of areas, including:

• Digital, data and technology, including through artificial intelligence, virtual reality and using data to predict long-term health outcomes
• Improvements in innovative surgical techniques, rehabilitation for blast injuries and intervention technologies for mid traumatic brain injury
• Trial interventions and treatments for the impact of pain, hearing loss and visual impairment
• Initiatives to help identify and provide solutions to disparities in female veterans’ health and healthcare

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said:

Our military veterans deserve the very best physical and mental healthcare available. That’s why it is right that we invest cash in exploring how the latest innovation and technology can be used to help deliver that.

I want to make the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran. That means ensuring we do all we can to help ensure better health and employment outcomes for those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf.

The £5m Veterans’ Health Innovation Fund, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Autumn Budget, is designed to fund a range of projects to improve understanding of how innovative medical treatments or new clinical pathways can be used to better meet veteran healthcare needs.

Organisations will receive grants or contracts to research or trial cutting-edge treatments, techniques and interventions for physical and mental health challenges to help veterans enjoy civilian life to the fullest of their ability.

The grant bidding process has been supported by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA). The bidding process is open until 31 August 2022.

The funding will also help the government meet its commitment in the Strategy for our Veterans for all veterans to enjoy a state of positive physical and mental health and wellbeing,

Interested applicants can attend an engagement session to find out more about the bidding process. Details on how to apply for a portion of the fund can be found here.