Innovate UK awards £300k grant to boost AI-led early detection of hospital infections

Innovate UK has awarded over £300,000 in funding to a collaboration between the NIHR HealthTech Research Center in Sustainable Innovation and UK healthcare company Sanome, to accelerate the development of an AI-powered system for the early detection of hospital-acquired infections.

The 18-month SMART grant will support the design and rollout of MEMORI, a Class IIb CE-certified software-as-a-medical-device (SaMD) platform that analyzes real-time clinical data to predict the risk of infection up to seven days before symptoms appear.

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) account for more than 20 per cent of NHS bed days each year, with research showing that between 35 and 55 per cent could be prevented by early detection and intervention. Conditions such as pneumonia, MRSA and Clostridium difficile contribute to an estimated 7.1 million bed-days a year, at an estimated cost of £2.7 billion to the NHS.

The first study using the first validated version of MEMORI has already shown it to outperform the NHS-standard National Early Warning Score (NEWS2) in detecting patient impairment. The new funding will support the development of advanced skills, including:
• Integration of additional multimodal data sources such as laboratory results, prescriptions and clinical notes, as well as existing inputs including vital signs and medications
• Deep integration with Electronic Patient Record (EPR) systems to embed information into existing physician workflows
• Targeted 20 percent improvement in predictive accuracy, extending the window for early intervention
• Improved clarity and machine learning performance to increase clarity and clinical confidence

The improved MEMORI v2 platform will be validated with massive live streaming across multiple wards at the Royal Devon University NHS Foundation Trust, addressing what remains one of the NHS’s most enduring clinical and financial challenges.

The collaboration is supported by the NIHR Exeter Biomedical Research Center and aims to pave the way for wider adoption across the NHS. It also lays the foundations for a long-term partnership between Sanome and the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre, run by Royal Devon in partnership with the University of Exeter.

Together, the partners aim to create a long-term, real-time view of patient health, initially focused on infection risk but designed to expand into broader prevention and personalized care approaches.

Benedikt von Thüngen, chief executive and founder of Sanome, said: “Our goal is to prevent deterioration before it becomes life-threatening. The benefits of AI in one of the UK’s best NHS hopes.”

Dr Nick Kennedy, who leads the digital innovation and AI theme at the NIHR HealthTech Research Center in Sustainable Innovation and a cardiologist at the Royal Devon, said early intervention is crucial. “Hospital-acquired infections continue to be a major threat to patient safety, especially for vulnerable patients. By integrating MEMORI, we can show how AI can support doctors, transform care and ultimately save lives.”

Chris Sawyer, digital health innovation lead at Innovate UK, added: “Supporting the safe introduction of AI into NHS frontline care is vital to building a strong, patient-centred health service. This partnership is a strong example of how innovation and clinical expertise can come together to tackle long-standing challenges.”

The first impact data from live implementation is expected throughout the year 2026, with plans for further rollout across NHS trusts and healthcare organizations across the country.