NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme Cohort 11

About

A free, part-time, 12-month NHS workforce development programme delivered by Anglia Ruskin University and part of NHS England, supporting NHS staff across the UK to develop, test and scale healthcare innovations while remaining in NHS employment.

Benefits

• 🆓Free participation
  Guaranteed: there are no costs associated with joining and accessing the programme; participants are responsible for funding their own travel and accommodation for in-person events
• 🎓CPD-accredited education
  Guaranteed: access to CPD-accredited Pit Stops, workshops and webinars across the 12-month programme
• 🧑‍🏫 Mentoring and expert support
  Guaranteed: access to mentoring online and in person, 1-2-1 clinics with experts, and business planning support
• 🤝Community and network
  Guaranteed: access to a supportive peer community, online community hub, dedicated programme team support and alumni network
• 🚀Pitching and industry engagement
  Opportunity-based: company days, pitching opportunities with industry partners, conference and event invitations, international opportunities and trips
• 📈Funding signposting
  Guaranteed: signposting to funding and opportunities; the programme does not itself offer funding or grants
• 🧠Intellectual property
  The programme currently does not seek to claim participants’ intellectual property

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: be 18 or over
• Mandatory: be part of the NHS workforce or provide NHS services, including clinical and non-clinical roles
• Mandatory: fall within the listed eligible NHS staff or service-provider categories; applications outside these categories are rejected
• Mandatory: the innovation must primarily aim to benefit the NHS, directly or indirectly
• Mandatory: apply as an individual; joint applications are not accepted, although co-founders or team members may apply separately
• Open to eligible applicants across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
• Open to early-stage ideas if they have been carefully considered
• Examples include doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, allied health professionals, dentists, healthcare scientists, managers, administrators, operational staff and support staff

Participation Commitments

• Applications open at 8:00am on 19 October 2026 and close at 4:00pm on 20 November 2026; timezone is not stated
• Programme starts in March 2027
• Apply only through the official application portal; applications by post, email or other methods are not accepted
• Submit one application only
• Provide a 1-minute video pitch on the innovation or idea
• Provide two professional letters of support, maximum one page each
• Complete all application questions; incomplete applications will not be assessed
• Joint applications are not accepted
• Written responses and the video pitch must be the applicant’s own work; AI tools may support preparation but must not generate written responses or synthetic voices/avatars
• If successful, sign and return the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Agreement to accept the place
• Minimum programme commitment: attend at least half of scheduled group educational events (usually eight per year), have four interactions with the assigned mentor, complete learning documents such as an action plan, personal development plan and lean canvas, and provide periodic progress updates
• No programme fee is stated; participants fund their own travel and accommodation for in-person events
• The programme is not a paid fellowship and does not offer funding or grants

Target Region

Open to NHS staff and healthcare professionals across the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Target Sector

Healthcare & Life Sciences