Four West of England organisations have formalised an important ‘Ways of Working’ agreement, marking an exciting new chapter in cross-sector collaboration while simultaneously launching a new £50,000 Innovation Grant Fund to accelerate improvements in regional health and care.
The Research, Innovation, Climate, Education and Equalities (RICE²) partnership brings together University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (BFT), Health Innovation West of England and Sirona care & health. The signing of the official RICE² Ways of Working agreement establishes a shared platform to address pressing system demands, workforce challenges, and health inequalities through joint action, research and innovation.
One conversation, many collaborations
Built upon the guiding principle of ‘one conversation, many collaborations’, RICE² provides an open, inclusive environment where health and care providers, innovators, researchers and academics can co-develop solutions that can be evaluated and scaled across the region.
The partnership links closely with regional capabilities, such as UWE Bristol’s Integrated Care Academy, creating a streamlined pathway from early challenge identification to workforce development, research, and practical application. This collaborative approach aims to reduce duplication and unlock collective capability across the NHS, higher education, local authorities, industry and the voluntary sector.
Launching the £50,000 RICE² Innovation Grant Fund
To translate this collaborative commitment into immediate action, the founding partners have launched the £50,000 RICE² Innovation Grant Fund. The fund offers individual awards of up to £5,000 to support collaborative, small-scale initiatives that test, develop, and evaluate promising healthcare solutions.
Applications are open to public, private, academic and voluntary sector organisations across the West of England, provided at least one project partner is affiliated with a RICE² founding organisation. Eligible projects include:
- Small-scale pilots, feasibility studies, and proof-of-concept projects.
- Co-design initiatives involving patients, service users, and local communities.
- Service improvement and pathway redesign.
- Product and technology development in health and care settings.
- Workforce innovation projects that improve staff skills, retention, wellbeing and experience.
All funded projects must align with broader regional priorities and national frameworks, including the NHS 10 Year Health Plan and the government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan.
The partnership is particularly encouraging applications that attract match funding or form part of a wider programme of innovation activity.
Successful project teams will be expected to share learning and outcomes to help build evidence for future regional innovation investment. Teams will also be supported to secure larger-scale follow-on funding and wider adoption across health and care systems.
Maria Kane, Chief Executive of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The demands facing health and care systems today are complex and cannot be solved by any single organisation working in isolation. RICE² provides a strategic space to work alongside academic, community and innovation partners to co-design and evaluate practical solutions that improve patient outcomes and pathway efficiency.”
Sanjoy Shah, Founding member of RICE² and Medical Director for Innovation, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust said: “This agreement will encourage open collaboration across multiple organisations and help remove organisational barriers and reduce duplication.
"We know that local problems often require a local solution that can take into consideration an area’s unique health landscape and population needs. It is our hope that this fund will allow colleagues and partners to test, develop and implement innovative new solutions that best meet the needs of their teams, patients and communities.”
Marc Griffiths, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Regional Partnerships, Engagement and Innovation at UWE Bristol, said: “As a civic and anchor institution, UWE Bristol is dedicated to be applying our research, education and workforce development capabilities to address the most pressing health challenges across our region. The RICE² partnership and our Integrated Care Academy create a crucial bridge, taking us from early-stage collaboration right through to education, research, and practical application.
“By launching this £50,000 grant fund alongside our Ways of Working agreement, we are empowering academic, clinical and community partners to translate new ideas into sustainable workforce and care solutions.”
Jo Beer, Chief Executive of Sirona care & health, said: “Improving population health requires us to break down organisational siloes and deliver joined-up, community-centred care. Through the RICE² collaboration, Sirona is proud to join forces with our acute, academic and innovation partners to tackle health inequalities and improve outcomes for local people.
“We all recognise the challenges facing health and care cannot be solved by organisations working in isolation. What excites me about RICE² is the opportunity to bring together the expertise of our staff, researchers, innovators, and communities to turn good ideas into practical improvements.
“At Sirona, we're passionate about helping people stay well and independent in their own communities. This partnership, and the innovation fund, gives us a real opportunity to test different approaches, tackle inequalities and make a tangible difference to the people we serve.”
Natasha Swinscoe, Chief Executive of Health Innovation West of England, said: "At Health Innovation West of England, our core mission is to bring partners together to discover, develop and deploy proven innovations that drive better and fairer health outcomes for all our local communities. RICE² embodies this vision by creating a truly connected ecosystem where academia, the NHS and community care providers collaborate as one.”
Timeline
- Applications close: midday on Friday 27 November 2026
- Funding decisions: early December 2026
- Project delivery: January to July 2027.
How to apply
Organisations interested in the RICE² Innovation Grant Fund can access guidance and apply via the RICE² Innovation Grants online application form.
All applications must be submitted by midday on Friday 27 November 2026.