June’s Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme company spotlight features Holly Health, a digital health platform that delivers personalised, behaviourally-informed coaching to help individuals improve their physical and mental wellbeing.
Using insights from behavioural science, it provides tailored prompts, routines, and support that fit into people’s daily lives, helping them build and sustain healthier habits over time.
Designed to operate at population scale, the platform supports people managing chronic conditions and lifestyle risk factors, while reducing pressure on health services by offering proactive, preventative care that is free at the point of use.
In this spotlight, we hear from Holly Health founder and CEO, Grace Gimson, who shares insights about the company and its innovative approach to enhancing patients’ well-being.
How has user feedback, particularly from patients and clinicians, shaped your product?
Co-designed with clinicians and patients aged 16–90, constant feedback and iteration ensures Holly Health is impactful at helping people build gentle, personalised, bite-sized habits. Iterations via codesign have enabled us to optimise the app for older adults, people with multiple long term conditions, and multiple use cases across primary and secondary care.
Data and insights have directly driven the population health reporting, giving NHS teams actionable data without adding to their daily administrative burdens.
Co-designed with clinicians and patients aged 16–90, constant feedback and iteration ensures Holly Health is impactful at helping people build gentle, personalised, bite-sized habits. Iterations via codesign have enabled us to optimise the app for older adults, people with multiple long term conditions, and multiple use cases across primary and secondary care.
Data and insights have directly driven the population health reporting, giving NHS teams actionable data without adding to their daily administrative burdens.
How could your innovation tackle inequalities in mental health?
Holly Health takes the place of a ‘compassionate friend’, available 24/7, to help tackle mental health inequalities at scale. Deployed via a simple primary care SMS, it bypasses barriers like stigma such as discussing mental health challenges, and the time or travel involved with seeing a clinician. The data reveals higher signup rates in high-deprivation areas, putting proactive mental wellbeing support directly into the hands of those who need it most.
Why should the health and care system be excited about your innovation?
Holly Health shifts the dial from reactive to proactive care with an ROI of over 10x. We’ve deployed Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAI) using machine learning to predict when and what type of nudge a user will benefit from most. This responsive, data-driven approach significantly improves engagement and habit completion.
Have you any feedback from anyone who has trialled your solutions such as patients or clinicians?
Yes, we actively encourage feedback as part of our co-design process.
“A fantastic, easy-to-use app that helps us take steps to a healthier life. It is a lovely ‘hand-hold’ that motivates people to look after themselves and build a better, healthier future. I love it!”
Patient
“We chose to partner with Holly Health because of the large-scale potential impact we can make across the entire region with respect to prevention and early intervention. It’s encouraging to see change start to happen as we make meaningful person-centred gains with patient outcomes along with demonstrating cost efficiencies”
The Clinical Director at NHS Ayrshire and Arran
What type of support are you seeking most from readers to help drive your project forward?
We’re always keen to connect with people who share our mission. If you’re interested in learning more, collaborating, or exploring how Holly Health could support your work, please do get in touch — we’d love to hear from you and continue the conversation.
hello@hollyhealth.io
Find out more about the Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme.
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