Today Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre (MOIC) has welcomed colleagues from Cluster Saude de Galicia (CSG), Spain to Belfast. The event is part of CSGs Learning Expedition (LEX) to Northern Ireland. Their aim is to learn more about the Northern Ireland Health and Life Sciences Ecosystem and find partners within Northern Ireland that could lead to successful collaborations, business relationships and ultimately learn innovate ways to improve healthcare delivery.

MOIC is a regional centre in Northern Ireland dedicated to delivering medicines optimisation and innovative healthcare. MOIC is the only dedicated medicines optimisation centre in Europe and are uniquely positioned to work alongside the health sector and the private sector to improve medicines use and patient care.

MOIC has been linking with colleagues in Cluster Saude de Galicia (CSG), Spain, around innovation in healthcare, including digital technology for some time and today will sign an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will ensure the two organisations will work together on all areas of health innovation.

The CSG delegation will include 10-12 representatives from the Regional Ministry of Health, healthcare industry and technology companies from across the Spanish region. This learning exhibition is a great opportunity to build collaboration and share learning with CSG and work together to improve healthcare delivery for both regions. Throughout the 3 day visit CSG will meet with Life Sciences companies from across Northern Ireland and they will showcase what they have to offer.

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison said;

“It was a pleasure to attend the event this morning and to welcome colleagues from Cluster Saude de Galicia to Northern Ireland. The MOU between MOIC and CSG will enable the two organisations to learn from each other and to bring innovative ideas into our health service. This MOU will build on existing collaborations that MOIC has built throughout Europe and enables MOIC to deliver on one of its key objectives of share learning”

Speaking at the event Professor Scott Director of MOIC said;

“We are delighted to welcome colleagues from Spain this morning and to build on our relationship. Both regions face the same healthcare challenges such as ageing populations, more complex conditions and have big pressures on health services. This MOU formalises working together to discuss these challenges and we will look at resources from both the private sector and the health service to improve health innovation.”

Invest Northern Ireland hosted the visit at its Belfast headquarters. As part of this, Invest NI shared an overview of the Life and Health Sciences sector in Northern Ireland, and connected MOIC with local companies that are involved in the innovation of the healthcare sector.