There are lots of reasons to Invest in Lancashire

At the forefront of medical technology development, we provide a supportive environment for facilitating businesses to undertake clinical trials, product development, commercialisation and manufacture. Our strengths in engineering, digital and in materials such as polymers, makes us an ideal location for medical device manufacturers.

We’re also a pioneer in digital health with the county being in the first wave of the NHS Test Beds. A common IT network across the NHS in Lancashire is a rare asset, and has provided an excellent digital health infrastructure.

Our NHS organisations and universities provide a collaborative environment that’s easily accessible to businesses and there is support for companies trialling new healthcare innovations.

The Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Clinical Research Facility and UCLan’s Clinical Trials Unit provide services including trial design, applications to funders and data management. Our universities and health partnerships support commercial collaborations and innovation.

The £41m Health Innovation Campus at Lancaster University, scheduled to open in 2019, will create a multi-disciplinary national centre of excellence focussed on innovation for heath and healthcare.

With an innovation centre and hub a key part of the development, there will be a focus on collaborative working between business, academics and clinical groups as well as providing facilities where businesses can design, prototype and test innovations.

The presence of the Innovation Agency (Academic Health Science Network for the North West Coast) in Lancashire helps SMEs to do business with the NHS. The Innovation Agency is the region’s Academic Health Science Network, connecting businesses with relevant products or services to the right individuals in the NHS and social care both nationally and locally. A common IT network across the NHS in any region is a rare asset but in Lancashire we are working hard with partners and have over 65% of our infrastructure partners working on a common framework (and growing) and this provides an excellent digital health infrastructure.