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An agreement has been signed between organisations in Canada and the UK which pledges to work in partnership to improve the health and wellbeing of older people.

As part of the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA’s) Healthy Ageing programme, along with Canadian organisations AGE-WELL and the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), the first stage of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed in recognition of their joint commitment to accelerate healthy ageing technology for the benefit of older people in both the UK and Canada.

The MoU was signed in Manchester during a Canadian delegation visit to the UK as part of the joint UK-Canada AgeTech Innovation Exchange. The Exchange includes UK and Canadian businesses with products that have the potential to improve the health and well-being of older people.

The MoU builds on a five-year collaboration between Canada and the NHSA and renews a pledge to work together to tackle major challenges in elderly care and bring innovation to the forefront of the industry.

Representatives from CABHI and AGE-WELL formed part of the delegation of Canadian innovators to the UK as part of the exchange programme. The UK delegation will visit Canada later this month to coincide with the COLLISION event in Toronto.

Signatories signed the MoU in the UK and additional signatories will sign it when the UK delegation visits Canada.

Dr Mandy Dixon, Executive Lead for Corporate Engagement and Cluster Development, who leads the Healthy Ageing Programme at the Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA), said: “This MoU builds on, and consolidates, the NHSA’s longstanding relationship with our Canadian partners via our Northern Healthy Ageing Network. The NHSA has convened a unique consortium to deliver this inaugural UK Canada AgeTech Innovation Exchange and the MoU confirms our commitment to working with the partners involved to repeat and expand this programme over the coming years.”

Exchange partners are:

• Yorkshire & Humber Academic Health Science Network (AHSN)
• Academic Health Science Network for the North East and North Cumbria (AHSN NENC)
• Health Innovation Manchester Innovation Agency – part of the AHSN Network
• Department for Business and Trade
• Invest Newcastle

Dr Neville Young, Director of Enterprise and Innovation at Yorkshire & Humber AHSN, added: “We’re delighted to be the key delivery partner in the UK Canada AgeTech Innovation Exchange promoting the growth of innovative companies addressing older adults’ needs. Canada and the UK have much in common with respect to the challenges and opportunities around aging.

We are excited to see the potential of great innovation from overseas being made available to older adults in the UK through this Innovation Exchange. Similarly, this programme will see great ideas and innovations from the UK being exported to help Improve the health and wellbeing of people as they age.”