European regional development funds, more formally known as the Structural and Cohesion funds, offer opportunities to NHS organisations to access EU funding at a regional level. The funds aim to support programmes which encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, protect the environment, and invest in skills and employment.
Although there is no direct investment for the health sector in the UK under the regional funds, opportunities to access finances are available under the broader social and economic agenda.
Funding is allocated directly from the European Commission to the UK, which is then distributed to the Regional Development Agencies. NHS organisations interested in exploring further opportunities available under the European regional funds should contact their regional development agency.
The European Commission’s Committee of the Regions held a healthcare event in Brussels on 11 June 2010. The focus of this meeting was Structural Funds and Health: Learning Lessons and Next Steps which aimed to promote the opportunities that exist for Structural and Cohesion funds to be used to invest in healthcare.
Examples of NHS organisations successfully accessing European Regional Funds include:
ACTIVATE: A pioneering training and recruitment project led by the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust to help unemployed workers take on new posts within the NHS. This project received initially received £493,225 from the European Social Fund and is now mainstreamed by the Trust itself.
NHS Innovations North: £800,000 of ERDF investment has contributed to the financing of the North East of England NHS Innovation Hub. The Hub aims to promote healthcare innovation and to identify, develop and commercialize innovations and Intellectual Property created by NHS staff.