The Innovation Observatory is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and hosted by Newcastle University. Established in 2017, we bring together expertise in research, data science and health innovation to identify and assess emerging healthcare innovations, helping health and care organisations prepare for the future.
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Like all successful organisations the Innovation Observatory is built on the collective effort of a multidisciplinary team.
We help the health and care ecosystem anticipate and prepare for the future.
Our governance arrangements ensure that priorities, resources and delivery are aligned to the needs of the health and care system while maintaining appropriate assurance and public accountability.
The NIHR Innovation Observatory identifies emerging innovations across the global healthcare landscape and transforms them into trusted intelligence that helps organisations anticipate change, make informed decisions and prepare for the future.
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Identifying today's emerging innovations to prepare for tomorrow's healthcare challenges
Building a connected, scalable infrastructure for the next generation of healthcare horizon scanning
Our four horizon scanning programmes span from Priority, Reactive, Proactive, and Demand Signalling. Find out more about how they all work together.
We are committed to building capability across the health and care system by developing skills, supporting careers and creating opportunities to learn, collaborate and grow.
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We develop and share cutting edge methods in horizon scanning, building capacity in the system across the public, voluntary and industry sectors.
We invest in people and support them in realising their full potential. Through nurturing and encouraging career development, we grow future national and international leaders.
Connecting the wider community with opportunities to learn, collaborate and develop through fellowships, immersion events, placements and external programmes.
We provide a gateway to collaboration, intelligence, and growth opportunities in healthcare and life sciences.
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Connecting with stakeholders across health and care to share knowledge, build relationships and support the effective use of our work.
Embedding lived experience into our work to ensure our approaches and outputs reflect the needs of patients and the public.
Live Dashboards
April 2024
Live Dashboards
September 2023
Live Dashboards
December 2022
Date
26 Feb 2025
Time
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Location
The Catalyst, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Do you have skills and interest in any of the following?
or any approach that supports research? If so, then a career as a research methodologist might be right for you!
We are running a half day event for anyone wishing to develop a career as a research methodologist and is seeking to apply for an NIHR Doctoral Fellowship. The session will be aimed at those who are either undertaking or have completed a Predoctoral Fellowship and are ready to consider applying for a Doctoral Fellowship. It will also be relevant to those who might be considering applying directly for a Doctoral Fellowship.
The aim of the session is to consider the challenges of preparing a Doctoral Fellowship application and to equip attendees with confidence and skills in navigating these. Inspiring role models from different backgrounds will present their experiences, providing information about the variety of NIHR training opportunities and which is the best fit. Practical and tailored advice will be available as well as information about the National Health Innovation Partners (NHIP) academy and how it can support individuals.
Places will be limited to just 30 people to allow for one-to-ones with an advisor, so register your interest now!
Register for Event
14 Oct 2026 at 12:30pm - 4:30pm
The Catalyst, Newcastle upon Tyne