Intellectual Property (IP) and Innovation Management Service
The Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) IP and Innovation Management Service provides support and advice to the Trust and its staff for both internal innovation activities, and when working with external innovation partners and collaborators.
The service helps innovators within MFT to identify new ideas, ensure that associated IP is protected and, where appropriate, find commercial partners to work with the Trust to develop and commercialise innovations for eventual patient benefit.
IP arising may vary from simple copyright materials such as guidelines, clinical tools and training materials, through to more complex and potential patentable inventions, such as medical devices, diagnostics and therapeutics.
The team provides support for managing IP and innovation resulting from collaborative research and partnerships with other NHS organisations, universities and industry.
The IP and Innovation Management Service offers:
- support for staff creating or developing innovative solutions to meet clinical and service needs
- substantial experience in protecting and managing IP and, when commercialisation is the best way of putting innovation into practice, negotiating deals and securing financial benefits, such as royalties on income for MFT
- support for MFT staff working with commercial partners to develop or evaluate their products for the benefit of NHS patients and healthcare provision
- advice and support with formalising relationships and ensuring that the value of the Trust’s contribution to collaborative outputs is recognised and managed appropriately, and that there is a mutually beneficial relationship
- guidance for drafting and executing confidentiality agreements, collaboration agreements, clinical study agreements, revenue sharing agreements and other relevant arrangements.
