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YHIN

March 2010

Future-proofing healthcare innovation today

Healthcare industrialists, clinicians and academics,spent the day evaluatingtomorrow’s challenges this week at an all day event in Leeds; identifying future challenges and opportunitiesfor the industry and highlighting the need for high-level innovation.

The Healthcare Technology Future Scenarios workshop focussed on the key trends in the sector, with discussions on a wide range of topics, from drug delivery, health futures and personalised medicine, to telemedicine and regenerative medicine.

The event was run by the Yorkshire Health Innovation Network (YHIN) - which is a new network designed to ‘future proof’ organisations in the region and is part of Solutions for Business, the Government’s package of publicly funded business support designed to help companies start and grow.

Taking place at the ThackrayMedicalMuseum in Leeds on Tuesday the 9th of March, guests listened tomotivational speeches from a number of key figures within UK healthcare, including Dr Adam Cairns, Chief Executive of Airedale NHS Trustand Jo Pisani, of the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Pharma 2020 team.

YHIN supports and creates new clinical, market and technology based opportunities, aligning today’s product development with future markets, and providing a rapid review process to guide companies through the innovation process; supporting their success over the forthcoming years.

Speaking at the event Dr Ian Revie, YHINDirectorsaid: “The aim of our network is to establish Yorkshire and Humber as a leading global centre for innovation in the healthcare market, identifying high level partners, accessing global expertise, and in turn developing an innovative culture to drive the future of innovation.”

Dr Penny Wilson of the Technology Strategy Board who spoke at the event, said: “The workshop was invaluable in bringing together key individuals to allow businesses in the region to maximise their potential and build on their strengths. We had the fun day that we were promised and as the journey unfolds I’m certain that new opportunities will emerge for all concerned. I am looking forward to playing an active part in the network and to watching the region grow.”

The Network is supported by the region’s development agency Yorkshire Forward and is part financed by ERDF funding.The network is managed by expert healthcare organisations from the region - Medilink Yorkshire and Humber, TWI, Medipex, IPI, BITECIC, and the Leeds IKC – helping drive the network forward and sharing expertise from across all areas of the sector.

For more information, please visit

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Notes to Editors:

The Yorkshire Health Innovation Network’s vision is to: “Establish Yorkshire and the Humber as a leading global centre for innovation in the healthcare market”

The Networking for Innovation programme that will help you to ‘future proof’ your organisation by enabling you to:

Stimulate future product / service pipelines

Access global expertise and ‘futures’ intelligence

Develop an innovative culture, utilising proven techniques / processes

For more information contact Jason Brannan,

PR and information Manager, Medilink Yorkshire and Humber:

Tel: +00 44 114 232 9280

E-mail: j.p.brannan @medilink.co.uk