MERSEYSIDE businesses are being urged to get behind a three-year programme to improve health and care across the region.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the £1.9m Health Matters programme will offer the chance to help develop solutions to challenges and receive guidance on funding opportunities.

A launch event held on Tuesday, September 17 at Liverpool John Moore's University's Redmond's Building to promote the programme and encourage local businesses to take advantage of the scheme.

More than 80 attendees heard from Dr Liz Mear who is chief executive at programme partner the Innovation Agency and Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.

Business leaders already working in this field including Phil Blything, founder of Glow New Media, James Chapman who is director of Safe Steps, and Phil Bridges founder of Mind Map, also addressed guests.

Dr Mear said: “Building on earlier programmes, LCR Health Matters will support innovative Liverpool City Region businesses capable of moving into, or growing within, the health and care sectors with new or existing services or products.

“LCR Health Matters will fill gaps in earlier programmes by providing mechanisms to validate the benefits of an innovation in a practical (real-world) setting, a key activity to support health system uptake.

"The programme will also support the region’s ambitions to address the Industrial Strategy’s Grand Challenges and wider activities.”

Over the three years of its delivery, the programme aims to provide support for 70 businesses in the Liverpool City Region.

To be eligible businesses must be looking to develop products or services within the health and care sectors and be based within the areas that make up the Liverpool City Region: Wirral, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Halton and Knowsley.

Mayor Rotheram said: “The Health and Life Sciences sector is a major source of world-leading innovation in our city region.

"This programme will help build on our existing strengths by supporting local businesses to become market leaders in health, well-being and care, delivering solutions to health challenges as well as high-quality jobs for local people.”