Dementia Innovators Programme Application

We are interested in receiving applications from professionals both within and outside the NHS.

If you have an idea that could help improve the lives of people affected by dementia, and work in health, social care, or provide frontline health support for those living with dementia, we are interested in hearing your ideas.

Any ideas that support people to receive a diagnosis, adjust to living with dementia, receive greater support with care, manage hospitalisation, access an alternative home, and/or adjust to end of life are welcome.

This includes allied health professionals, social care professionals, admiral nurses, care home staff, hospice staff, dieticians, opticians, podiatrists, etc.

All NHS and non-NHS (e.g. private, charity sector) staff working in health, social care or those providing frontline health support for those living with dementia and those providing NHS Services such as: GP’s, dentists, pharmacists, physios, are welcome to apply, including those in both clinical and non-clinical roles.

If you are working as a locum, or in a hospice you can also apply.

Examples of those who are welcome to apply include: 

• Doctors
• GPs
• Medical, nursing, midwifery and paramedic students
• Dentists and Dental Hygienists 
• Nurses including Admiral nurses
• Social Care professionals
• Care home staff
• Midwives
• Pharmacists (including Community Pharmacists)
• Psychologists
• Allied Health Professionals (such as Physiotherapists, Paramedics, Radiographers, Occupational Therapists, SLTs, Dieticians etc)
• Ambulance staff
• Healthcare Scientists
• Medical Associate Professions (including Physicians Associates, etc) 
• Clinical Support Staff (such as phlebotomists, healthcare assistants/ carers, porters)
• Healthcare managers (such as operational managers, project managers, general managers, etc)

Yes, the programme welcomes innovators from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Yes, we are looking for individuals with ideas at any stage of development.

You can find a link to the application portal on our website when it is open. You need to register with the portal with a name and email address. Once logged into your account, you can then begin your application from the portal home page. Please only submit your application via the portal. Applications submitted by post, email, or any other method will not be accepted.  

The application is a series of questions about you, and your potential innovation or idea. You can find a template of the application form on this page.  You will need to prepare:

1. A 1-minute pitch on your idea or innovation – this can be recorded on the platform or uploaded.
2. Provide a CV.

All questions need to be complete.

The programme is designed to allow you to engage in full time work/training at the same time as participating in the programme. The time commitment varies and the more engaged you are with the programme, the greater the benefit. The minimum commitment is attendance at half of the scheduled group educational events (there are usually eight per year), four interactions with your assigned mentor; the completion of learning documents such as an action plan, personal development plan and lean canvas; and the provision of periodic progress updates.  

There are no costs associated with joining and accessing the programme. We offer some travel support to those wishing to attended our pit stop educational events person.

This is not a paid fellowship, and the programme does not offer any funding or grants. 

We cannot accept joint applications but can accept applications from co-founders and teams working on the same innovation (as long as they meet the initial criteria).

Each application is based on the individual and not on the innovation. 

Primarily, the innovation must aim to benefit people living with dementia. The idea can be clinical or non-clinical, for example, it may be a device, app, service improvement idea, workforce development idea, or anything else.

While the type of innovation is open Alzheimer’s Society are particularly interested in innovations around diagnostics and detection.

Some of the ideas currently supported on the programme include: Health and fitness programmes, Charities and social enterprises, Training and education programmes, E-rosters, consent platforms & e-prescribing platforms, AI and deep learning algorithms, Substance abuse interventions, Autonomous drone delivery services, Radiation exposure monitors, Robotic surgery innovations, Remote eye, ear, and blood testing, Prescription label translators, Secure communications platforms, Mental health interventions, Nutrition guidance and plans, digital/ estates/ maintenance/ issue reporting, Smart inventory managing tools, Medicines adherence tools, Chatbots and many more… 

Currently, this programme does not seek to claim any intellectual property. 

Applications are assessed by two reviewers who assess your application independently. These applications are then reviewed by the CEP team. Applications that meet a certain threshold will get accepted onto the programme. If any details need clarifying, we may choose to arrange a brief video call with you. All unsuccessful applications will be reviewed by a validation committee to ensure that decisions to not offer a place onto the programme this year are fair and justified. 

There are a pool of assessors that assist with programme applications. These include representative from Alzheimer’s Society, Clinical Entrepreneurs and alumni, programme mentors, and other programme stakeholders and supporters. All assessors and validators will be asked to declare any known conflicts of interest to the CEP programme team and all assessors sign a non-disclosure agreement. 

All information disclosed via the application process will be kept strictly confidential. Assessors, moderators and validators will not share any of the information they are privy to through the application process and will keep all information safe and secure. However, you are still advised to not disclose any information that is potentially patentable. Rather, we recommend you only provide the more general information about your idea/innovation.

Please ensure you complete all sections of the application fully. Incomplete applications will not be assessed. 

It is your responsibility to complete the form in full and submit it to the programme by the closing date.

Only applications made on the application portal will be accepted.

Yes, save your progress using the ‘Save and Close’ button and complete/amend your application at a later date (before the submission deadline). We recommend that you save your work regularly to minimise the risk of losing work due to any local computer or internet problems. 

No, please only submit one application and ensure all information provided is complete and accurate. 

If your application is successful, you will be notified and sent an Dementia Innovators Programme agreement which must be signed and returned to accept your place onto the programme. 

Due to the number of applications we receive, we will be unable to provide detailed feedback on individual applications. 

The programme is for the individual, so don’t worry you will still have a spot on the programme. Failure and challenges are part of the innovation journey! 

Please see the Dementia Innovators Programme page or if you have more questions, please contact us at cep@aru.ac.uk