NHS Trusts and Healthcare Partners
Working together to improve patient outcomes, develop new technologies and support clinical innovation.
A strategic gateway to health innovation
Newcastle Innovations is the strategic gateway for:
- translating health research
- clinical expertise
- innovation into real-world impact
We connect partners to one of the UK’s most integrated health ecosystems. University researchers, clinicians, NHS trusts and civic leaders work together across an aligned system.
Through Collaborative Newcastle, we’re part of a city-wide partnership bringing together:
- Newcastle University
- Northumbria University
- NHS trusts
- Newcastle City Council
- the voluntary and community sector
Together, we’re focused on improving population health, reducing inequality and transforming care delivery through innovation.
Newcastle is a world Top 100 university for medical and health (THE subject rankings, 2026), leading in:
- ageing
- cancer
- diagnostics
- digital health
- neuroscience
- rare diseases
- therapeutics
What distinguishes us is not only excellence, but integration. Discovery research, clinical practice, public health, and service design are connected. Innovation moves efficiently from laboratory to clinical practice.
Through Newcastle Innovations, partners gain coordinated access to this entire system with a clear route from idea to implementation.
Newcastle Health Research Partnership
A key part of this ecosystem is Newcastle Health Research Partnership (NHRP). It is one of eight Academic Health Science Centres (AHSC) across the UK. AHSCs are designated by NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
They demonstrate excellence in health research, health education, and patient care.
Through NHRP, Newcastle University and major NHS trusts work together through NHRP. They translate research into real improvements in patient care. This includes
- better diagnostics
- earlier detection
- personalised treatments
- advanced therapies
- digital clinical tools
Partners benefit from:
- translational research facilities and specialist laboratories
- clinical research networks and trial infrastructure
- patient cohorts
- academic, clinical and technical expertise
NHIP has a strong track record of securing major funding from:
- NIHR
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Wellcome
- industry-funded programmes
Partnerships with NHS trusts
We enable collaboration with NHS trusts across the region.
Our flagship partnerships include:
- Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Working alongside clinical leaders and service teams, we co-develop:
- new diagnostics
- digital tools
- clinical pathways
- innovative therapeutics
- medical technologies
Clinical environments across the region act as test beds for innovation. They enable evaluation in live care settings and accelerating adoption at scale.
We also support partners, helping to accelerate adoption. We achieve this through:
- regulation
- approvals
- ethics
- evaluation
- procurement processes
Medical education, training and workforce development
Newcastle University is one of the UK’s leading medical schools. It plays a central role in educating the future healthcare workforce. We train doctors, dentists, research scientists and health professionals.
There are opportunities for NHS partners to help shape curricula, placements, rotations and real-world learning. This reflects evolving service priorities and models of care.
We also collaborate on:
- continuing professional development (CPD)
- leadership and transformation programmes
- advanced clinical practice training
- workforce innovation
Partners gain access to multidisciplinary learners across:
- medicine
- pharmacy
- biosciences
- psychology
- engineering
- social care
This enables cross-sector thinking and workforce development.
Working together to improve population health
Our work is grounded in a strong civic mission: improving health outcomes across the North East of England and beyond.
Together with NHS and public sector partners, we design and deliver solutions addressing:
- health inequality
- ageing populations
- long-term and complex conditions
- mental health
- community care
We bring together expertise to support whole-system transformation, covering:
- public health data
- advanced modelling
- behavioural science
- evaluation
- systems design
We're aligned with the place-based ambitions of Collaborative Newcastle. Our approach prioritises co-production with communities. We also ensure innovation is inclusive, evidence-based and responsive to real need.
Ways to collaborate
You might be exploring early-stage ideas or scaling proven solutions. Newcastle Innovations offers a structured, strategic route into Newcastle’s world-leading health ecosystem.
We work with the NHS and health partners in several flexible ways, including:
- joint R&D programmes and clinical research
- innovation consultancy and translational support
- access to test beds, specialist laboratories and clinical trial expertise
- support with technology adoption and evaluation
- workforce development and tailored training programmes
- co-funded roles, secondments, and fellowships
Whatever stage you’re at, we’ll help you navigate the ecosystem, connect the right expertise, and move from insight to impact.