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By Jill Owens, Senior Programme Manager
Now that the Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme is in full swing, I’m struck by the progress our innovators have achieved in such a short time.
Time and again, the common threads are a deep understanding of clinical needs, the ability to demonstrate positive patient outcomes, delivering cost efficiencies, and championing inclusivity.
Throughout 2025, I witnessed an incredible number of breakthroughs, two of which I’d like to highlight here. My hope is that these stories serve as inspiration and a practical roadmap for other innovators.
Earlier this year, North Yorkshire NHS Talking Therapies part of Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust launched Tend VR’s mindfulness based cognitive therapy using immersive VR headsets.
Tend VR’s solution has been developed in partnership with Britain’s oldest mental health provider, The Retreat Clinics, as well as academics at Cambridge University, University College London (UCL) and Manchester University.
Tend VR costs up to five times less than normal talking therapy. Early NHS results show that 71% of people using it noticeably improved, and Tend VR is on track to continue delivering this level of impact. On average, people’s depression scores went down by 6 points, and their anxiety scores dropped by 8 points.
Compared to what’s normally seen at step-2 NHS care (which is for people with mild to moderate anxiety or depression), Tend VR’s improvement in depression was about 50% better, and their improvement in anxiety, was about 130% better.
Delivered at scale through virtual reality in NHS and community settings, it also helps reduce patient waiting lists and prevents the escalation of mental health issues. The service is accessible in two flexible ways: either in-person at an accessible location, using shared headsets, or remotely at home with a loaned headset.
Healthcare professionals at the trust are already sharing positive feedback about the experience.
“This is an exciting immersive experience, and we hope that the companion app will help people keep up with the techniques between the sessions. It’s easy to use even for people who aren’t particularly ‘tech savvy’.”Louise Hughes, a senior psychological wellbeing practitioner in North Yorkshire Talking Therapies
Dr. Dan Anderson, Consultant Psychiatrist at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, has also completed the Tend VR-MBCT course and is incorporating it into his practice.
“It’s therapy that doesn’t feel like therapy. The sessions are moments of presence and calm in a virtual world.”Dr. Dan Anderson, Consultant Psychiatrist at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust
The experiences of both patients and clinicians are described in the BBC article, Virtual reality mindfulness transformed my life.
Moving forward, founder of Tend VR, Matt Hoad-Robson, said: “We’re scaling Tend rapidly in the coming year, building strong UK-wide foundations, and we’re looking for NHS partners to grow with us.”
XR Therapeutics is another innovator on the Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme helping to shape the mental healthcare innovation roadmap. It has grown from a university spin-out into a UK health tech company working with seven NHS Trusts, one ICB and three third-sector organisations.
Their flagship solution, Boundless, is a therapist-controlled XR-enabled platform used within NICE-approved talking therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and graded exposure.
It provides virtual simulations of anxiety-provoking situations, enabling patients to safely and directly interact with scenarios that trigger distress while their therapist delivers structured therapeutic techniques in real time.
To promote inclusivity, the solution can be adapted to meet the needs of autistic individuals and those with learning disabilities, while maintaining existing clinical pathways.
Boundless is designed for clinician convenience as it works with devices already available in services, eliminating the need for specialist hardware.
While some patients typically require around 12 sessions of traditional therapy, this intervention can significantly improve efficiency, with certain patients experiencing positive outcomes in fewer than three sessions.
One clinician reported how the XR Therapeutic mobile app helped a student with emotional regulation.
“[It] provided an opportunity for the student to self-regulate… A powerful tool in supporting their emotional regulation and well-being.”Clinician
XR Therapeutics are delighted with feedback from users of their solution.
“The treatment exceeded all my expectations. My daughter turned to me and said: ‘I think I could deal with anything now.’”User of XR Therapeutic’s Boundless platform
Penny Day, COO, XR Therapeutics said that patients reported feeling more in control, less overwhelmed and better able to engage at their own pace.
“Early service feedback suggests efficiency benefits, including reduced session length or number for some pathways. Ongoing evaluation is strengthening the evidence base to support wider adoption.”Penny Day, COO, XR Therapeutics
As we move further into 2026, the Health Innovation Network South London is excited to continue the Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme supporting with tailored business coaching, strategic communications assistance, and valuable introductions.
“We're incredibly grateful for the doors you've opened for us through the Innovate Mindset Programme. Opportunities have already led to meaningful connections across the NHS and academia, and we now have several follow-up conversations arranged.”Ria Carline, co-founder, Greener Games Ltd
The Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme also has a wealth of resources for all innovators.
If you’d like to speak to the team about innovation support, email us at hin.mindset@nhs.net
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Innovators working in women’s health often face significant challenges due to a lack of funding across the board. This funding gap is frequently tied to insufficient evidence generation, creating a critical feedback loop where “no data means no funding,” and vice versa. This cycle can slow the development, adoption and scaling of solutions that have the potential to improve women’s health.
In this blog, John Waugh, Finance Support Officer and researcher (MSc in Leadership and Management), explores how innovators with solutions for women's health from the Accelerating FemTech and DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programmes are overcoming this critical feedback loop.
Historically, women’s health has been under-researched, with evidence gaps that persist today. In 1977, for example, a Food and Drug Administration policy recommended that women of childbearing age were excluded from early-phase clinical drug trials in the U.S.
Today, only 7% of healthcare research focuses on conditions that exclusively affect women. Of that research, there is a disproportionate emphasis on reproductive and breast health, often called "bikini medicine", with only 1% of healthcare research and innovation invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology. This means that other conditions that affect women differently or disproportionately, such as cardiovascular, autoimmune and neurological conditions, remain insufficiently explored.
There has been growing momentum around innovation for women’s health, with the global FemTech market expected to increase year-on-year, reaching an estimated peak market size of over $117 billion in 2029. Despite this predicted growth, just 5% of global healthcare Research and Development (R&D) funding was allocated for women’s health research in 2020.
This lack of foundational evidence and funding for research can discourage investment. This creates a critical feedback loop: the absence of data deters funding, and without funding, innovators cannot gather the evidence needed to validate their solutions, leaving many women without effective care.
However, positive changes are emerging. Innovators within this field are making breakthroughs by diversifying funding sources and seeking specialised programmes that foster collaboration. This blog explores some of these solutions, outlining a blueprint for addressing critical challenges in women's health through properly funded and evidence-informed innovation.
Funding remains the most critical barrier to growth and scaling in women’s health innovation, largely due to a lack of robust data. Programmes such as Accelerating FemTech, The Northern FemTech and Women’s Health Tech Accelerator Programme, Springboard for Female Innovators in Health and SBRI Healthcare are helping to address this by equipping early-stage companies in women’s health with the knowledge, connections and confidence needed to drive initial development stages.
These specialised Accelerators also often provide access to closed call funding pots, supporting innovators to test feasibility and evaluate products. 25 women’s health innovations from across two cohorts of Accelerating FemTech, for example, have secured over £2 million in feasibility funding through special closed call Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst opportunities accessed through the programme. Elsewhere, Accelerating FemTech alumni Unravel Health, Birthglide and PeriPear have been awarded over £290,000 in SBRI funding.
This combined offer enables innovators in women's health to strengthen their value propositions, progress evaluation and evidence generation, and test commercial viability, whilst also fostering new connections that can drive early investment.
"Obviously, you need to have data, so when you apply for venture capitals and investors, even some grants, they want to see some data. If you don't have money to do some tests to gather data, you can’t get the necessary data.”FemTech company A
Amongst all G20 nations, the UK has the largest gap in women’s health. It ranks 12th globally, underscoring the impact that lack of awareness, exclusion and underinvestment has had on the advancement of women’s health.
However, a string of recent announcements could signal a meaningful move toward closing the knowledge gap and ensuring women receive the necessary support for their health needs. The renewal of the Women’s Health Strategy, as well as the NHS online hospital’s focus on menopause and menstrual problems which may be a sign of endometriosis, could inform policy and healthcare procurement that supports women's health.
Routine NHS health checks are also set to include advice on menopause for the first time, benefitting almost 5 million women. This marks an important step toward recognising the need for better education on women’s health challenges, such as menopause, which due to long-standing under-research continue to face inadequate support and stigma.
Peppy Health, an alumnus of the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme, offers tailored and accessible menopause support. The innovation breaks down barriers and provides expert‑led services by connecting employees with specialised clinicians and trusted resources.
Since taking part in the Accelerator programme, they have since gone on to garner 10x more growth with a Series A investment in 2021 and raise of $45 million in Series B investment in 2023. In 2025, they were selected by the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) to be part of the eighth cohort of the US accelerator programme, giving Peppy Health the opportunity to expand their business into US markets.
Similarly, Emm, an alumnus of Accelerating FemTech, raised £6.8 million in seed funding. This record round will be used for research and development, as well as supporting the UK launch of their smart menstrual cup, which uses biosensors to provide personal insights from an "overlooked opportunity in women's health:" menstrual blood.
“Female entrepreneurs struggle to get funding from venture capital... they don’t see the inconvenience and the pain that the women go through as a clinical problem.” FemTech company B
Bias in the investment landscape remains a major barrier. Venture capitalist (VC) investment team are largely male dominated, with only 13% of senior personnel on UK VC teams being women, and 48% of teams having no women at all. This imbalance limits understanding of women’s health needs and influences funding decisions. Subsequently, leading to women’s health focused innovations being unfunded and women's health needs being unmet.
Specialist healthcare investors are helping to overcome these barriers by leveraging credibility and market expertise to attract additional capital and provide strategic guidance. Their involvement enables innovators in women's health to navigate complex pathways and scale their innovations effectively.
An example of the benefits of specialist investors is evidenced by MyBliss, a company revolutionising sexual wellness, successfully raised through women-led angel groups Mint Ventures, Lifted Ventures and Alma Angels. Networks like these are dedicated to supporting innovators in women's health, enabling companies such as MyBliss to scale its innovation and expand its product range.
“Given that women comprise 50% of the world’s population, it’s hard to fathom that there are still so few intimate female health products that are funded on the market through venture Capitalist firms.” FemTech company C
Securing early-stage funding remains a significant challenge for women’s health innovators. Systemic biases in the investment landscape have contributed to a persistent funding gap, which limits the development of data infrastructure, and vice versa.
However, solutions are emerging to address this critical feedback loop. Programmes such as Accelerating FemTech: Evaluate support UK companies developing women’s health solutions by bridging the gap between evaluation (data), funding and innovation. These initiatives help founders build strong value propositions, which can attract future investment.
Elsewhere, more women are entering leadership roles in venture capital and healthcare, increasing representation in decision-making and improving understanding of women’s health needs.
These collaborative efforts signal hope for a more inclusive and innovative future in women’s health, where technology and equity converge to address long-standing gaps in healthcare.
Footnote: Featured quotes were collected during interviews with FemTech companies, as part of a thesis conducted by John Waugh.
Whether you’re a FemTech innovator or you’re working within the health and care system to address health disparities, we can support your mission.
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Last month, our Head of Mental Health, Aileen Jackson, attended the BMJ Digital Health and Innovation Community Conference, a gathering of leading voices shaping the future of healthcare through technology.
In this blog, Aileen reflects on the challenges and opportunities for clinicians, researchers, innovators and digital health experts as they explore how data, design and human insight can transform the way we deliver care.
Attending the BMJ Future Health conference in November was a powerful reminder of the energy, ambition, and complexity driving digital transformation in health and care.
With many of our partners, the Health Innovation Network South London and Innovate UK were proud to join the conversation and showcase Mindset-XR innovations in mental health.
The day was rich with ideas, challenges, and opportunities, and the excitement around XR solutions was clear, with delegates queuing to experience them firsthand.
Here are the key themes I took away, along with insights from our Mindset innovators after sharing their solutions.
At the event, one thing was clear: there’s a real impatience to bring about change. The energy in the room was palpable — an eagerness to move quickly, implement digital solutions, and transform services.
That momentum is exciting, but it can also be a double-edged sword.
When we rush, we risk introducing technology that doesn’t work as intended, doesn’t scale, or fails to integrate with existing systems. Innovation is essential, but it needs to be paired with a commitment to doing it thoughtfully and well.
Moving fast is good — but moving wisely is better.
Another strong theme was empowerment. And it wasn’t just about giving people tools — it was about involving them in creating those tools.
Co-designing with clinicians and people with lived experience, building digital confidence, and ensuring technology is evidence-based are the foundations of meaningful transformation. Digital change isn’t something that can be imposed; it has to be built collaboratively.
The conference also highlighted an important reality: healthcare isn’t solely clinical. In fact, only 52% of the NHS workforce is made up of clinicians. The rest includes professionals in management, HR, training, IT, administration, and more.
For digital interventions to succeed and remain sustainable, every one of these roles must be part of the co-design process.
There was also a clear call for Royal Colleges and training institutions to embed digital skills into medical, nursing, and allied health education. Encouragingly, younger staff — often digital natives — tend to adapt quickly to new technologies. But that doesn’t mean training can be skipped. Upskilling needs to be intentional, inclusive, and continuous.
“Attending the event — both as innovators and observers — gave us valuable insights.”Emmanuel Stiels, co-founder of Reinhart
Ambient voice technology was a big talking point. It has the potential to save time — but what happens with that extra time? Should clinicians use it to see more patients, or spend more time with each one? Is the goal quantity, quality, or a balance of both?
There’s no simple answer, but it’s an important question to ask. Ultimately, technology should help enhance care, not just speed things up.
“The event gave us insights into areas of clinical need and innovation that we hadn’t fully appreciated before. It has really broadened our thinking about how Harmony can best fit into the realities of frontline healthcare, and it’s given us a great deal to reflect on as we continue developing the product.”Ria Carline, co-founder of Greener Games Ltd
One clear takeaway for tech providers: stay true to your mission. Keep your focus on solving real challenges and creating meaningful impact for both patients and healthcare professionals. And remember, sustainability matters — financially and operationally — because lasting solutions are what the industry truly needs.
It’s equally important that new technologies integrate smoothly with existing systems. Without interoperability, even the most groundbreaking innovations risk becoming isolated silos.
“The National Innovation Accelerator (NIA) is clearly the route for scale once you have proven impact in real NHS settings, but their assessment lens is firmly on health inequalities, net-zero and robust real-world data, so it pays to build those dimensions into early pilots rather than retrofitting them later.”As Dr Alex Boyd, founding Executive Director of Intercultural Roots
Health and care systems are naturally risk-averse — and for good reason. But if we want to innovate, we need to get better at taking calculated risks, learning from mistakes, and creating safe spaces to experiment. Innovation without risk is a contradiction.
That said, risk-taking doesn’t mean being reckless. It means being thoughtful about how we frame and implement new ideas.
“An important lesson I learned at the event was that commissioners and clinicians responded best when XR tools were framed not as ‘nice tech’ but as specific, prescribable interventions mapped across a whole care pathway (prevention, active treatment and relapse prevention), with clear system benefits alongside patient stories.”Dr Alex Boyd, founding Executive Director of Intercultural Roots
One of the most resonant themes? The sense that many are waiting for permission to innovate. Real change often comes from the ground up. We need to empower teams to act, not just wait. Bottom-up innovation isn’t just possible — it’s essential.
There’s a cultural shift needed here — from asking “can we?” to saying “how might we?” We need to create environments where people feel confident to try, test, and learn — even if that means getting things wrong sometimes.
“Overall, the reception was extremely valuable, providing the chance to engage in rich, informal discussions that strengthened relationships and highlighted opportunities for collaboration.”Jane Ollis, co-founder of Sona Ltd
There was a strong focus on measuring the impact of digital technology — not just rolling it out. This means looking at real outcomes like better patient care, improved staff satisfaction, and greater system efficiency.
Poor implementation of technologies in the workplace is increasingly linked to staff burnout and even people leaving their jobs.
We also need to manage expectations carefully. Electronic patient records (EPRs) were introduced with the hope of reducing clinical workloads, but the results have been mixed. In some cases, the challenges they were meant to address weren’t clearly defined from the start — and today, many clinicians still feel the administrative burden is heavy.
Digital systems have advanced, however, they must go further to deliver the time efficiencies and cost savings that the health and care sector needs.
The three enablers of successful digital adoption are people, process, and technology. The emphasis must always start with people. Without understanding the human and operational context, even the most advanced tech will fall short.
Process comes next — ensuring that workflows, governance, and culture support the change.
Only then can technology truly enable transformation.
“It’s good to see that patient experience is recognised as a top priority in product design.”Nicole Elias, co-founder of Photography Based Therapeutics Ltd
I’ve always known that digital transformation isn’t just about tech — but this event was a powerful reminder of how people, systems, and culture play a part too.
We need to move fast, yes. But we also need to move wisely.
And most importantly, we need to move together.
Mindset innovators in attendance were Cineon, Greener Games, Intercultural Roots (EcoGPX), Photography Based Therapeutics, Reinhart and Sona.
The prospect of Artificial Intelligence use in corporate communications can feel overwhelming for some. For others, the process of a new tool being identified, used, and then integrated - to the point of it's use being "business as usual" - feels familiar. Kerry Beadling-Barron, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at the Health Innovation Network South London, shares her perspective on the rise of AI use in communications, informed by lessons from the era of "new media".
In communications, one of our roles is to segment our audience. We could segment comms colleagues between those who can remember what "new media" was, and those who don’t. "New media" was the term used to describe Facebook and Twitter around the time they were emerging into popularity. In other words, "new media" was an umbrella term used to describe the internet broadly and the emerging social media platforms within it at the time. This was before the term "social media" was widely adopted around 2004.
Social media was different from the traditional media of newspapers, radio, and television, which had been the mainstay of communication for decades. It was disruptive in terms of length of content and timescales of publication - it felt seismic for anyone in public sector comms. In your organisations, if you were able to get past the argument about whether it should be used at all, there would've been discussions arising around how to respond to users online and who was responsible for that. Prior to the existence of the social media roles we have today, new media sites were blocked on work devices and networks, and special permission had to be sought from IT to grant access to these sites. Any of this sound familiar? These are the same conversations currently taking place around AI.
The early adopters of social media tested roles and types of content - then led the way in sharing best practices with their more wary colleagues. In innovation, we typically see a cycle of discovery, testing, and roll out. Then, the use of the innovation becomes common place, "business as usual". This is what happened with social media. By 2014 the Guardian was reporting that four in five NHS organisations were using at least one social media channel, but in a state of low maturity commenting: “Social media is no longer a “nice to have” option for the NHS.”
We can see this evolution happening now with the use of AI in comms. Across the NHS, there is a growing feeling that communications colleagues should be the trailblazers for the adoption of AI. With the responsibility of showcasing AI to colleagues within our organisations increasingly falling on the shoulders of comms professionals, it is key to build confidence in its use. A starting point would be familiarising yourself with the work of the NHS Confederation which has published its report on insights, risks, and recommendations for safe adoption of AI. It’s a great place to start if want to know more about AI.
From colleagues across the NHS, I hear legitimate concerns about how AI could impact on our roles and skills. A lot of the AI tools I see now only work well when there is a human in the loop checking outputs and making sure there hasn’t been hallucinations. For example, a 2023 article shows that 47% of the references used in ChatGPT-generated medical content were fabricated. In comms work, it is comms professionals who need to be that human intercepting made up information.
So, to those who are worried, I point them towards the fact that we have been here before. We've identified risk and concerns, developed policies, and now have an additional channel - social media - which on the whole has increased our ability to communicate directly with stakeholders. AI is a new bit of technology that we should embrace to enhance what we do, allowing us to focus on the skills it cannot do, such as building relationships.
By Aileen Jackson, Head of Mental Health, Health Innovation Network South London
Dr Mary Docherty, National Clinical Director for Adult Mental Health NHS England, Consultant General Adult and Liaison Psychiatrist South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, joined our final Mindset-XR roadshow event in London last month.
In a powerful keynote address, Dr Docherty laid bare the pressing challenges facing mental health services across the country such as the £16 billion spent annually on remedial action due to lack of early intervention, and the many billion per year lost to work-related mental health issues.
Dr Docherty’s message was clear – while progress has been made, there are still plenty of opportunities for innovators to apply targeted, inclusive innovation in the mental health space.
Despite increased investment and expanded capacity, the demand for mental health services continues to outpace supply leaving many individuals without timely access to the support they need.
Dr Docherty outlined several promising opportunities for innovators. Among adults experiencing anxiety and depression, nearly 24% of patients in the final quarter of 2024/25 waited more than 90 days between their initial assessment and the start of treatment. This delay highlights a significant gap in timely care.
For children and young people (CYP), the situation is even more concerning. In 2023/24, an estimated 1.7 million children and young people were believed to have a probable mental health disorder. However, only half of them received support through NHS-funded services, indicating a substantial shortfall in provision.
The number of people with severe mental illness (SMI) accessing mental health support has grown by 31% since 2022, driven by both rising demand and some expansion of available services.
But disparities in treatment access and outcomes remain unresolved. For example, people with autism and ADHD continue to face persistent barriers to accessing care.
Also, our ageing population often faces interconnected physical and mental health challenges, adding extra complexity for services that are already under strain.
These challenges highlight the need for service models that are both inclusive and adaptable - something innovators should prioritise during the design phase and in ongoing development.
The Health Innovation Network South London is enthusiastic about the growing role of XR in mental healthcare and is confident that innovators can meet these challenges.
The mental health sector is driving the shift from hospital-based care to community support, with community-led services growing nearly 40% since 2016. However, persistent workforce shortages threaten the sustainability of this progress.
Dr Docherty noted that one significant opportunity for innovators lies in tackling the high vacancy rate in mental health nursing, which is currently 10.2% which is well above the NHS average of 5.9%.
While acknowledging that retention challenges, particularly among specialist staff, further compromise continuity and quality of care, Dr Docherty emphasised that the practitioner is, in essence, the therapeutic tool. This reality makes the role inherently emotionally demanding.
Consequently, staff wellbeing has become a critical concern, with rising levels of burnout and emotional exhaustion reported across the sector. These pressures impact not only individual practitioners but also the overall resilience and effectiveness of mental health services.
So, it’s encouraging to see Mindset innovators developing solutions for staff training and wellbeing, helping keep skilled professionals in the workforce.
Mental health outcomes continue to show significant disparities across different populations, highlighting the need for more equitable approaches to care.
And mental ill health doesn’t just affect individuals - it’s creating wider social challenges. It’s a growing reason why people are leaving or unable to stay in work, reducing productivity and putting extra strain on public services and the economy.
To tackle these impacts, innovations that recognise and reduce health inequalities across the UK are therefore considered highly valuable.
To conclude, Dr. Docherty drew attention to the forthcoming Modern Service Framework (MSF), which will inform where innovation can drive progress. She emphasised that this will be an important document for innovators to watch in 2026.
Dr Docherty then went on to ask innovators to consider the priorities of the 10-Year Health Plan – community, digitalisation and prevention - and how their work could address six key areas:
Dr Docherty concluded with a rallying call to innovators, emphasising the many opportunities to make a meaningful impact in mental health. Urging innovators to focus their efforts on closing key gaps in the system including gaps in treatment, capacity, prevention, efficacy and wellbeing.
When pitching to commissioners, Dr Docherty encouraged innovators to get briefed on the NHS’s current needs, to speak their language, to lead with the problem they are aiming to solve, to include evaluation, - and to remain “wildly ambitious”.
Mindset innovators in attendance were Aerial Icon, Borderpoint Films, CrossSense, EcoGPX Ltd, GoodWith, Greener Games, Haven XR, Holo-Log, InsideOut, Neurotech, Phase Space, Photography Based Therapeutics, PWFL, Reneural, Tend VR, XR Therapeutics
Across September and October, the Mindset-XR Innovator Support Programme team hosted a series of roadshow events across the UK. These partner-led events have given communities the opportunity to share updates and make valuable connections.
In this blog, Senior Programme Manager, Jill Owens, reflects on these UK-wide roadshows, sharing key themes that have emerged.
Following the success of last year’s roadshow, we were excited to bring the Mindset-XR Innovation in Mental Health Roadshow back for 2025 – and what a journey it’s been.
As the programme has grown and gained momentum, its impact is increasingly clear with more innovations being trialled across the UK and a growing spotlight on groundbreaking work throughout the Nation.
Across the UK, each stop on the tour revealed powerful insights, brought to life through compelling lived experience stories from the frontline of immersive health innovation.
We couldn’t have asked for a better start to the roadshow — Leeds provided the perfect launchpad with its vibrant atmosphere and strong turnout, setting an energetic and optimistic tone for the journey ahead.
Using examples of good practice from the region, programme partner Health Innovation North West Coast delivered a dynamic and interactive experience for those in attendance.
A standout moment came from John Sainsbury, Innovation Manager at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, who shared powerful insights into the impact of gameChange VR therapy. Designed to support individuals with anxiety in everyday social situations, the technology has shown compelling results. John highlighted that many users reported reduced agoraphobia, with some experiencing a significant drop in avoidance behaviours and distress when navigating daily life.
John reflected on the broader challenges faced by innovators in the NHS, referencing the NASSS framework to illustrate the complex landscape of healthtech adoption. He emphasised the importance of understanding the practical work required to embed innovation and ensure successful implementation.
The speed networking session, facilitated by Inderjit Singh, Commercial Programme Manager at Health Innovation North West Coast, created space for meaningful conversations among innovators, clinicians, and academics where high-value connections were made in real time.
Mindset projects in attendance were XR Therapeutics Ltd, PixelMill Ltd and Human Studio Ltd.
For the event in Exeter, the programme partner Health Innovation South West showcased regional best practices to deliver a highly engaging and participatory experience for attendees.
Nick Peres, Director of Digital Innovation and Transformation at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, delivered a compelling presentation titled Beyond the Pilot Phase. He addressed a common challenge in healthcare innovation: while most pilots succeed, few scale beyond the testbed. The gap between proof of concept and business-as-usual remains vast.
Nick outlined the pressures innovators face such as tight NHS budgets, the need to evidence clear return on investment, staff fatigue from the pace of transformation, demands for immediate measurable impact, and the imperative to tackle health inequalities. He stressed the importance of frameworks that bridge the divide between brilliant ideas and operational delivery.
A key theme from the day was the need to keep patient experience, clinical expertise, and digital innovation interconnected. Rather than treating these as separate pillars to balance, Nick proposed viewing them as an ecology of knowledge - a dynamic relationship where transformative potential emerges not from their simple combination, but from their mutual influence and integration.
We also heard from Sam Vine at the University of Exeter about the critical role data plays in helping innovators ensure their solutions reach people from all backgrounds without deepening existing inequalities. Their insights highlighted how inclusive innovation must be informed by robust, representative data.
Personal innovation journeys from Mindset-XR innovators Play Well For Life, Cineon, Tend VR were shared on the day.
Taking the Mindset programme on a UK-wide roadshow is about more than just geography. By travelling across the UK, we’re connecting directly with communities and local partners who understand the unique cultural and economic contexts of their areas.
By highlighting effective regional practices, the programme partner Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI) created an energetic and interactive session for everyone present.
Visiting Belfast reinforced the value of engaging directly and in person. Sharing the day with the Academy of Medical Sciences helped frame the Mindset XR for mental health discussion within the broader context of the health system.
As with other areas, the city has faced, and continues to face, distinct challenges, and hearing thoughtful discussions about what’s needed to support its progress was truly invaluable.
Central to the day were stories from the lived experience experts. The audience was deeply engaged by their honest and compelling accounts of living with eating disorders and borderline personality disorder.
These stories also highlighted the strength of collaboration. The solutions presented felt genuinely co-designed, and it was clear that clinicians are actively engaging with real-world data to shape their approaches.
Daithi Conlon, MindTrack 360 and Chris Thomas, Propeer, delivered insightful presentations on the innovation landscape, sharing the challenges they've encountered in developing XR tools for mental health, as well as the opportunities they've discovered. Play Well For Life was present at the event.
In Dundee, the programme partner DHI Scotland led an engaging and interactive session for participants by highlighting regional best practice.
In particular, the roadshow offered a fresh perspective by spotlighting the city’s vibrant gaming community. Brian Baglow, founder of the Scottish Games Network, delivered a compelling talk on the value of incorporating elements of ‘joy and playfulness’ when addressing mental health challenges. His message was clear: play isn’t just for children, it’s a powerful tool for wellbeing.
While Dundee is renowned for its creativity and innovation, it’s not widely known that 1 in 9 professionals in the city work in the gaming industry. This statistic underscores the city's unique position as a hub for digital entertainment and interactive media.
Brian spoke passionately about how gamification permeates our daily lives more than we might realise from smartwatches that reward movement, to TV shows designed to keep us hooked. He encouraged attendees to rethink how game mechanics and playful design can be harnessed not just for entertainment, but for positive social impact.
We also got a good reminder from Steph Wright, Head of the Scottish AI Alliance, who highlighted the importance of technology having a clear and meaningful purpose. She emphasised that FOMO, fear of missing out, is not a strategy. Simply showcasing impressive capabilities isn’t enough to engage people effectively.
Matt Hoad-Robson, from Tend VR, shared how he created the first VR mindfulness-based cognitive therapy to be deployed by the NHS launching with Tees, Esk, Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.
It was a real pleasure to welcome familiar faces back to the Wales Roadshow this year, led by Life Sciences Hub Wales and to see new connections forming and existing relationships growing stronger. That sense of community added to the event’s electric atmosphere.
One of the standout moments came from Ceri Phelps, Programme Manager for the MSc in Applied Psychology at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Ceri introduced the inspiring Walking in Our Shoes project in partnership with Barrie Evans, Lived Experience Expert and Outreach Coordinator at the Limbless Association. This initiative is a powerful example of how lived experience and co-production can drive meaningful innovation in mental health support.
Funded by The VTCT Foundation, the project is reshaping how psychological and emotional support is designed for people living with limb loss. At its heart is a commitment to co-production ensuring that amputees are directly involved in creating resources that truly reflect their needs and realities.
With the roadshows soon drawing to a close, we have just one final stop on this exciting journey – London. The day promises to be rich with insights, featuring panels on lived experience, implementation, and impact. We’re also honoured to welcome Dr Mary Docherty, Consultant General Adult and Liaison Psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and National Clinical Director for Adult Mental Health at NHS England, as our keynote speaker. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic event – more on that next time….
Since early 2024, Innovate UK’s Mindset Programme and the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London’s Mindset-XR Innovation Support Programme have been supporting the most promising extended reality (XR) innovations in mental health.
This month, Amanda Begley, Director of Digital and Transformation at the Health Innovation Network South London, warmly welcomes the latest cohort of companies and reflects on the inspiring progress made so far.
We’re thrilled to celebrate the announcement of Round 3 winners of Innovate UK’s Mindset Programme, a powerful initiative supporting immersive tech innovators who are working with users, researchers and funders to help transform mental health support and staff training across the UK.
This new cohort includes an exciting mix of organisations including:
Aerial Icon Ltd (with Reneural), Braingaze Ltd, Care Reality, Cineon Training, CrossSense Ltd (part of Animorph), ECOGPX Ltd, Elixi Health, Good With Ltd, Greener Games, Haven Studios, MindTrack 360, Photography Based Therapeutics, Play Well For Life, Reinhart Group (with SyncVR), Tend VR, XR Therapeutics and Zecora Ura Theatre.
It’s fantastic to see familiar faces among the winners - some of whom have previously succeeded in Rounds 1 and 2 - alongside innovators joining the Mindset community for the first time.
Jane Guest, Innovation Lead at Innovate UK, shared her excitement with me in welcoming new and existing Mindset projects, from feasibility to industrial research. She highlighted the growth of XR in mental health and its positive impact on the economy, healthcare, and the lives of people with mental health conditions. Her team continue to be excited to help projects maximise opportunities to deliver real impact across the UK.
Mental health challenges affect millions of people every year, yet access to timely, effective, and personalised support remains uneven. The Mindset Programme is helping to close that gap by backing innovators who are aiming to offer scalable, immersive, and evidence-based solutions. These innovations are not just enhancing care; Mindset innovators are working with users to reshape how we understand and respond to mental health needs.
From technologies for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and addiction recovery, to tools tackling stress and burnout through mindfulness and behavioural psychology, the breadth of solutions is remarkable. Innovators are also developing adaptive technologies like smart glasses for dementia support, eye-movement analysis for early cognitive disorder detection, and financial wellbeing apps designed by psychologists to address the mental toll of money worries.
Beyond clinical applications, the programme supports immersive learning platforms and simulated care environments that train professionals and build socioemotional skills in young people. These platforms offer therapeutic value, including suicide prevention support, and foster resilience through creative approaches like participatory theatre, nature-based storytelling, and photography-led campaigns.
Early evaluation of the Mindset Programme shows great progress, including support with securing pilots, contracts, and follow-on funding. These successes reflect the programme’s growing influence and the power of collaboration between innovators, communities, public sector organisations and charities.
As we welcome Round 3, we’re not just celebrating new ideas, we’re continuing to lay the groundwork that places mental health at the heart of overall wellbeing and sees innovation as a catalyst for change.
Explore the programme’s successes further by watching our latest video below showcasing some of the transformative work underway.
In this blog, Programme Director Catherine Dale explores how designing digital technology with a focus on health inequalities not only supports vulnerable communities but also enhances the likelihood of success by aligning with the goals of the NHS 10-Year Plan.
A great starting point for any innovator is: Am I building for everyone?
Before COVID-19, health inequality wasn’t widely discussed, even though many people were already experiencing its effects. The pandemic, however, brought the issue into sharp focus.
During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a disturbing pattern emerged.
Studies show that people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds were up to 50% more likely to die from the virus than white British people. And these weren’t necessarily people from low-income backgrounds. Often, they were highly educated doctors and nurses.
At the same time, the murder of George Floyd reignited global conversations about racial justice. In the UK, this twin impact of COVID and racial reckoning forced the NHS and wider society to confront long-standing health inequalities that could no longer be ignored.
When we talk about healthcare inequalities, we’re not just talking about the obvious gaps such as who can access care. We’re talking about outcomes including who gets sick more often, who dies earlier, who waits longer for help, and who gets left behind entirely.
Inequity erodes trust in healthcare staff, providers and institutions.
If people have experienced discrimination within public services, they may start from a place of distrust. And if they’ve had poor experiences in the past, they’re less likely to access help in the future which creates a vicious cycle.
There’s also an economic case to tackle this: when health outcomes are worse for certain groups, it costs individuals and the system more. The burden of poor health weighs heavily on society, especially when it could have been prevented.
We are legally protected from discrimination by the Equality Act 2010 at work, in education, as a consumer and when using public services. The protected characteristics are:
These legal categories form the foundation of anti-discrimination protections but when we talk about health inequalities we must go further.
Some people face exclusion that isn’t fully captured by these protected characteristics.
Inclusion health is about deliberately reaching out to groups who are often overlooked in healthcare design and delivery.
These groups include:
These individuals often fall through the cracks - not because they’re not protected in theory, but because services weren’t built with them in mind. That’s a critical failure, and one we can address as innovators.
So how do we move from awareness to action?
The NHS developed the Core20PLUS5 approach which is a targeted framework for reducing health inequalities. It’s practical, data-informed, and grounded in improvement methodology.
In mental health, one key focus is ensuring annual physical health checks for people with severe mental illness. Others include maternity care, chronic respiratory disease, early cancer diagnosis, managing hypertension and a cross-cutting intervention on smoking cessation.
This framework offers a way in for innovators because if your solution addresses one of these areas or groups, it’s immediately aligned with a system-wide priority.
Much of our current understanding of health inequalities comes from the Marmot Review, which examined the social determinants of health - the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age.
Published in 2010, and updated in 2020, it showed that not only were health inequalities growing, but for the first time in 100 years, life expectancy had stalled and even declined for the poorest women.
Health is shaped by far more than just access to medicine. Poverty, insecure housing, adverse childhood experiences, stigma, and poor public service experiences all contribute. And while we may not control those factors, we do control the design and delivery of the services we create.
It’s increasingly recognised that health inequalities are a patient safety issue. If someone is more likely to experience harm because of who they are or how they access services, then that’s not just a systems failure, it’s a safety failure.
The Patient Safety and Healthcare Inequalities Reduction Framework helps reframe this problem: if inequalities lead to avoidable harm, they must be tackled as part of improving safety.
Many PTSD treatments focus on ex-military personnel, often using exposure therapy to recreate past events. But civilian PTSD also requires tailored solutions.
One company addressing this gap is Propeer Solutions Ltd, which is developing an inclusive, low-cost VR app for use in community mental healthcare settings.
In collaboration with Paul Best at Queen’s University Belfast, they’ve created VR Photoscan, a tool that recreates trauma-related environments. One patient described it as offering a “more visceral exposure experience,” helping them prepare for real-life site visits after a city centre attack.
However, innovator Dominique Vyborna of Empress Immersive Ltd has found that exposure therapy isn’t effective for everyone, particularly young women and people from racially minoritised backgrounds.
To address this, she is co-creating a culturally relevant, affordable alternative by working with young women (16–24), neurodivergent individuals, and people from the global majority to design a solution that meets their needs - especially those facing long NHS waitlists.
These are brilliant examples of what’s possible when we rethink who our typical patient could be.
The 10-year Plan places tackling health inequalities at its core saying these 'persistent disparities’ will be tackled in both access and outcomes to give everyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, the means to engage with the NHS on their own terms.
The government plans to:
If you’re trying to develop an innovation that addresses health inequalities, don’t start from assumptions, start with data.
There’s a clear message from the current government: we can’t talk about disparities without acknowledging injustice. Wes Streeting recently said, “These are not disparities that dropped from the sky - they are rooted in injustice, and we must attack the root causes.”
That’s where we come in.
As digital innovators we have an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference. And in doing so, we can make innovation not only smart but just.
So, as you design your next tool, app, or intervention, ask yourself:
This isn’t about ticking boxes - it’s about creating real impact.
NHS England – Core20PLUS5 and The Equality and Health Inequalities Hub
Race and Health Observatory – raceandhealth.org
The King's Fund – What are health inequalities?
Institute of Health Equity - Marmot Review
Race and health observatory - https://nhsrho.org/
The Health Foundation – Health inequalities and trends
Royal College of Psychiatrists – Health inequalities briefing pack
UK Government - Positive action in the workplace - GOV.UK
Royal Society for Public Health - Coronavirus deaths by ethnicity
Government legislation - Equality Act 2010
Catherine is the Programme Director for Patient Safety at the HIN.
Catherine has 25 years’ experience in the NHS in London, with more than 20 years in quality improvement and transformation roles, including leading the national learning network for Covid Oximetry @home and virtual wards.
Catherine has a master’s in business psychology, is a certified Institute for Healthcare Improvement Coach and an expert on co-designing improvements with patients and applying behavioural insights to healthcare.
Catherine is also a Trustee at the Point of Care Foundation and has helped develop their Experience-Based Co-Design toolkit.
In 2017 she taught on the IHI’s inaugural Co-design College in Boston, USA.
Catherine is an active advocate for tackling health inequalities through improvement and organisational change. She co-led the HIN’s anti-racism programme - a journey to becoming an actively anti-racist organisation.
Catherine was a Labour Councillor in the London Borough of Southwark from 2014–2018.
Last month, a Chinese company called DeepSeek launched two generative AI models. One of these models, a Large Language Model (LLM) called DeepSeek-R1, has changed the Artificial Intelligence (AI) narrative dramatically and may open the way for more medical AI applications to adopt open source AI.
In this blog, our CEO, Dr Rishi Das Gupta and UAE Country Transformation Leader at IBM Irfan Verjee explain how DeepSeek's progress could benefit health and care systems across the world.
Most medical AI products which currently incorporate natural language processing or generative AI/chat capabilities embed a foundational model such as ChatGPT-4 as part of their code. Several studies have looked at using these for medical uses such as diagnosis (e.g. a study in JAMA published last month focused on paediatric diagnosis). The established thinking is that larger models are better and that the size of the data set (or a number of tokens) should grow with the model. A summary of how these are related is available in a recently updated paper “A Comprehensive Overview of Large Language Models” by Humza Naveed et. Al.
Currently, the business model for some tech companies has been to differentiate on the volume of the data that has been used to train them, which assumes that more data will inherently produce a better model which will work in more general circumstances. This has led to spiralling costs, and Elon Musk has famously said he thinks we are at the limit of what human and publicly available data can be ingested to train the models.
In contrast, IBM’s Dario Gil has estimated that less than 1% of all enterprise data is represented in foundation models. Hence, one key to future development will be open source AI models that are trained on enterprise data which is then owned (and can be operated) by the Enterprise or a trusted Managed Service Provider (MSP) – in this case, health systems/providers which are the data controller for medical data in the UK.
The approach of hyperscaler large tech companies has been to do most of the processing in the cloud and this requires a large amount of computing power and electricity which has led many to question whether these products can be delivered while meeting our Net Zero targets for environmental sustainability.
The DeepSeek model turned these assumptions around, underlining the importance of open-source AI models and technology systems that support them in a secure, sovereign and sustainable way. On 20 January, DeepSeek, a company founded a little over a year ago in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng (the Chinese billionaire hedgefund manager) launched what appears to be a well-functioning Large Language Model at a fraction of the cost. The model also uses much less computing power and requires fewer resources to run than competitors like Open AI's products (the makers of ChatGPT-4).
Deepseek claims to have created this model for around $5.6M US dollars. Although exact comparisons are difficult, the development costs for competitor models could easily be estimated to exceed $500m.
The second big difference is that DeepSeek has made its model open source, meaning anyone can download the code and run it locally to train a model using their own data. Details on the code can be found here.
While a lot of media attention has focused on the speed and cost of developing the model, it is the second aspect that we think is extremely important for the medical AI industry, as well very disruptive for closed-system Large Language Model AI companies.
Medical AI regulation in the UK and EU has two stringent requirements that are hard for most AI companies to meet. Firstly, there is a requirement that models are trained and then the model is static once launched. Secondly, there is a requirement that performance is explainable and transparent.
Both challenge the business model of closed system Large Language Models which seek to create the biggest datasets possible to improve their models. AI companies have differentiated from competitors on the breadth of data that they have been trained on and closely guarded the training data sets, making it difficult to meet the explainability criteria.
Yet new insight has validated open source, smaller language models that operate at a fraction of the cost and provide transparency in the underlying data that is used to train them. These medical AI models would typically produce a model card which outlines the data that the model was trained on, the key drivers of performance, how the model will be validated and how performance will be monitored once in its life.
In parallel, cloud computing providers like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS) generate revenue by hosting AI models in their cloud environments and charging for processing power. This arrangement has sometimes allowed software developers to access these models at little to no cost, provided their products are hosted on the vendor's cloud services. Consequently, this has accelerated the development of models, benefiting patients. However, it also means there's less upfront incentive to develop the smallest and most efficient models.
The ability to run DeepSeek locally means that some of these costs can be mitigated and raises the hope that more affordable products will be available in the UK market in the future.
DeepSeek R-1 is available on Microsoft, AWS and IBM platforms. Other providers have developed platforms to support open-source models in healthcare, for example, IBM’s new Biomedical Foundation Model, focused on drug discovery, which can process multi-omics and broadens the ability to create drugs based on data from global populations and not just for OECD countries.
The launch of DeepSeek has undeniably caused some market turbulence and a decline in value for major AI companies and cloud service providers. However, this disruption paves the way for the development of AI models that are more pertinent to clinical practice, offering greater security, explainability and transparency. These advancements promise to be more sustainable, with reduced costs and energy consumption. It is imperative for organisations, particularly in the healthcare sector, to embrace AI. By adopting smaller, trusted, and open models on flexible infrastructure, they can ensure the integration of AI is both effective and beneficial.
Dr. Rishi Das-Gupta is the Chief Executive of the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London, an NHS organisation focused on the spread and adoption of innovation. He is a medical doctor and is focused on using data and digital to improve health, care and patient experience.
Irfan Verjee is the UAE Country Transformation Leader at IBM. Irfan is responsible for aligning IBM with the UAE’s National Agenda by driving strategic perspectives on open, hybrid, and flexible technologies, ultimately contributing to the acceleration of the UAE’s GDP with a focus on public sector and regulated industries including healthcare.
For more information on AI and health care innovation, please get in touch
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Accelerating FemTech supports early-stage companies, university spinouts and entrepreneurial-minded academics from across the UK with innovations that address urgent challenges in women’s health. The programme supports innovators to gain commercial and funding momentum for long-term success through an intensive learning programme of workshops, mentoring and peer collaboration, as well as support to prepare for a special feasibility funding opportunity through the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst.
In this blog, Accelerating FemTech advisory board member Katherine Church explores the role of support programmes for innovators in women’s health in enhancing the lives of women. Katherine, who is Women’s Health Practice Director at SmartCo Consulting and Chief Digital Officer at KC Digital Consultancy, also highlights how uplifting innovators in this field – and in particular women founders - could be the key to changing the tide for the gender health gap in the UK.
In the UK, women (cis and trans) specific health and care has been woefully under researched and underinvested. As most countries around the world battle with greater health risks for men, women in the UK are facing the largest female health gap in the G20 and the 12th largest globally. It can take an average of 7.5 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis and in the last 40 years, only two new medicines have been approved for use in pregnancy.
Beyond sexual, reproductive and maternal health, there are also stark inequalities across many common diseases, such as cardiac health, inflammatory diseases and chronic pain. Unfortunately, this is a trend that is repeated across the world. As outlined by the World Economic Forum’s ‘Closing the Women’s Health Gap’ insight report, women spend 25% more time on average in ‘poor health’ than men.
With mandatory teaching and assessment relating to women’s health for medical students only being introduced this month, from the 2024/2025 academic year, the UK’s gender health gap is a systemic issue. Women’s health is stigmatised, and women's health startups often lack the commercial and funding support they need to reach the women who need their products. On top of this, the research data which supports the development of business and investment cases is limited. For example, it was only in 1993 that the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) mandated for government funded clinical research to include women.
This, in addition to general underfunding for women’s health in the UK, exacerbates the issue. In 2022/2023, the Department of Health and Social Care and its Agencies spent a total of £176.8 billion on health and care services, though only £25 million had been pledged in March 2023 for women’s health hubs in England.
Women entrepreneurs also face additional barriers in securing funding, with only 2% of all UK venture capital (VC) going to women-led businesses in 2021. The funding disparities faced by women founders are often made worse by:
It's hard to be what you can't see. There are not enough women in senior positions in startups and investors, making it tough for women to see themselves in those roles. It’s even worse for Black women, for disabled and queer women.
Female founders often lack access to mentorship and support networks, which can make it difficult to navigate the challenges of starting a business. This can be particularly true for women from underrepresented backgrounds, including women from the global majority and women from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Some female founders face the challenge of balancing work and family life, particularly if they have caring responsibilities.
Some other barriers faced by innovators in the women’s health sector include:
Women's health is often under-researched, which can make it difficult for founders to develop evidence-based products and services. This can also make it challenging to attract funding and support from investors who may be sceptical about the potential market size or growth prospects.
The UK's regulatory environment can be a complex and challenging for women's health startups. Founders may need to navigate multiple regulatory bodies, such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which can be time-consuming and costly.
The barriers that innovators are facing in this field are vast, but I have seen through my work across the sector that Femtech entrepreneurs are ambitious, resilient and determined to make a difference to real women’s lives. At its core, Femtech empowers women with greater control and understanding of their health, transforming how they experience, manage and access healthcare. There is innovation in every conceivable area of women’s health – we are bursting with incredible, considered solutions, which are designed with women and for women. This is exemplified by companies from last year’s cohort of the Accelerating FemTech programme. Alumnus company Bloume, for example, is the world’s first AI-powered digital solution for chronic pelvic pain, providing psychological support and pelvic floor physiotherapy to improve women’s physical and mental health. Elsewhere, P.Happi are set to revolutionise the way we address women’s intimate health concerns by developing innovative biome-protective products.
Founders in women’s health have the solutions, but now they need the space, support and funding to flourish. As outlined by Lord Darzi’s independent investigation of the NHS in England, innovation and reform go hand-in-hand for driving change. This is why innovator support programmes are vital in changing the tide for innovators in this space.
Through networking, mentoring and introductions to key stakeholders, Accelerating FemTech provides early-stage companies, university spinouts and entrepreneurial-minded academics with invaluable opportunities. Through the programme, founders can unlock the support, knowledge and funding they need to drive their innovations forward, creating a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.
Applications for the programme are open until midnight on Sunday 13 October 2024.
Apply nowThis is your chance to learn more about the Accelerating FemTech programme, engage with members of the programme delivery team and some of the companies who have been previously supported on Tuesday 1 October from 12:30PM to 1:30PM.
Sign up to the webinar
The TeleRehaB Decision Support System (DSS), supported by European Union and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding, is an international partnership for developing artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for people experiencing balance issues after a stroke, or people experiencing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or long Covid-19.
As part of the project, the Health Innovation Network South London (HIN) is running a series of workshops for professionals, patients and carers to provide feedback to the clinical and technical teams, which will be used to shape the development of the project. Karla Richards, Senior Project Manager for Innovation, reflects on key insights from the latest workshop and the importance of patient involvement for research and innovation in this field.
In the UK, 1.3 million people have survived a stroke. However, up to 73 per cent of people who have had a stroke experience a significant fall within one year. Many of these people experience balance issues, as the body is affected by symptoms including weakness, a loss of sensation and vertigo. Balance retraining exercises and physiotherapy are key to improving the lives of people experiencing balance issues. TeleRehaB is developing an AI-based Decision Support System to support effective and affordable balance rehabilitation for patients experiencing balance issues after a stroke, or people experiencing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or long Covid-19.
In July, we hosted the TeleRehaB Patient and Carers event in London, bringing together an international group of researchers to gather feedback from patients with a balance issue and the carers of people with a balance issue. During the event, researchers demonstrated the TeleRehaB system, a collection of new Augmented Reality (AR) solutions that will assist the rehabilitation of people with Vestibular (balance) issues. The group of patients and carers were then invited to try out the technologies and share their feedback.
The patient-facing Telerehabilitation system consists of a mobile app, a set of sensors to be worn on the body and an AR headset. There is also a Clinician Dashboard, which captures patient data and shares it with the patient’s physio or clinical team to support decision making and monitoring. The TeleRehaB system will empower patients to complete their balance rehabilitation with the support of a virtual “physiotherapist” from their home or another convenient setting. This will save time and money, as clinicians will work with the patient remotely, monitoring progress and making updates to rehabilitation programmes through the Clinician Dashboard. It also makes rehabilitation programmes more accessible, as patients that cannot easily travel can complete their exercises at home or another location.
At the Patient and Carer event, the latest version of the TeleRehaB system was tried out by attendees who were split into two groups and supported by the TeleRehaB DSS team to test the solutions. One group began with the TeleRehaB patient mobile app, designed for patients to self-manage their rehabilitation and the use of the Telerehabilitation system. The app sends reminders for daily tasks, prompting patients to complete their exercises. The testing was followed by a feedback session and survey, where participants reflected on their experiences using the app and whether it could be integrated into their daily routines. Participants commented on the ease of navigation in the app but there was some confusion over how the notifications appeared on screen, and how some of the prompts were unclear.
The second group started with the body sensors and AR headsets. Participants completed numerous “exergames” to test their balance, whilst sitting down and standing up. “Exergame” is a term used in rehabilitation to describe games that make you exercise. At the event, one of the “exergames” saw patients bobbing their heads to point at and follow virtual objects as they changed position in the room. The patients and carers were particularly enthusiastic about these interactive technologies. In the feedback, they expressed that they were a fun and engaging way to test their balance and monitor their progress. However, there were also comments on the need for clearer instruction to understand each game and the comfort of the headsets. Several participants were surprised to discover that distance glasses made it hard to see the games, whilst others were concerned their reading glasses would not fit inside the headset.
The feedback collected at the Patient and Carer event is now being used by the TeleRehaB team to steer the development of these technologies, as individual solutions and a whole system. For example, the mobile app developers were so excited by the authentic feedback they received, that following the event they immediately created some new mock-ups of the screens for the app. The workshop highlights the importance of patient involvement for innovations, especially through different stages of development, as patients can highlight new perspectives, preferences and barriers to real-world integration that would have otherwise been overlooked. This feedback has been critical for the development of the TeleRehaB system, which will be entering a multi-site clinical trial in the next stage of the project.
Watch the TeleRehaB DSS Patient and Carer event highlights video to learn more about the event.
For more information about the TeleRehaB DSS project and its partners, visit https://telerehab-project.eu
Please get in touch for more information about our work on the TeleRehaB Decision Support System (DSS) project.
Get in touchRuth Bradbury, Senior NHS Navigator at DigitalHealth.London, shares her reflections from a recent panel discussion at HETT about the possibilities for patient facing technology.
When I was asked to be part of this panel at HETT I was excited to be able to share the trends I am seeing through my work at DigitalHealth.London. I was fortunate to be joined by clinicians and leaders with years of experience in implementing patient facing technologies. They have seen it all from the highs to the lows.
Our Chair, Rishi Das Gupta, CEO of the Health Innovation Network South London, brought his enthusiasm for the topic with an opening question around what we have seen that is ‘cool’? Now, there are lots of ‘cool’ technologies at different stages in development – emerging proof of concepts or established players delivering systemic change, but what makes something cool? Is it the super-duper AI behind the scenes, the ease and convenience for the user, or the clinical outcomes?
My fellow panellists talked about their work in renal transplant and maternity care and how they have worked with patients and clinicians to improve the clinical pathway for their patients through implementing technology. They also referenced groundbreaking AI technologies that turn your smartphone into a medical device equipped to measure clinical vital signs. For me though, the ‘cool’ bit about patient facing technology is where it enables the patient to be involved in their care and in an empowered position to take control of their condition and their management.
A current trend that we are seeing at DigitalHealth.London is in Long Term Condition (LTC) management. Patients with LTCs are a high need population for health and care services. With clinical services that are stretched, risk stratification of patient need becomes even more valuable to ensure patients get clinical input at the right time.
Some examples that I have seen through my work include innovations which allow patients can share photos and videos of themselves; these can support their clinician to better manage their condition through the image record alone or AI analytics which can track change and direct management. Patients who are able to log their daily routines and medication can provide more reliable information to their clinicians to support virtual management or more effective face-to-face appointments. And technologies that support the patient to take control and ownership of their LTC can demonstrate improved clinical outcomes, reductions in secondary care re-admission or reduction in outpatient follow up, and overall improved quality of life. I think those are the impacts that make patient facing technologies cool!
One of the discussion points focused on the role of patients and users in the development and implementation of technology. Sian Thomas, SRO for Digital Maternity Cymru, talked about how her work rolling out a digital maternity record involved collaboration with women and birthing partners. Collaboration could involve co-design and co-production, but involvement of patients and users needs to consider the diversity of the population so that health inequalities are recognised and targeted. For the supplier developing a patient facing technology, understanding health inequality issues and engaging with the right people can be challenging, but there are broad brush actions that can be taken. For example, is the tech accessible in different languages or via mobile and web apps? Is the user interface and experience simple enough to manage differing levels of digital literacy? Beyond this, suppliers and health and care teams have a role to dig deeper into the specific needs of the target population so that implementation does not leave people behind.
So, we know there are many 'cool' patient facing technologies out there, with new ideas and products ready to be launched to the health and care system. The un-cool part is how to get these ideas and products into the hands of the patients and clinicians; the challenge of navigating the system, finding the champion and ultimately the money. At DigitalHealth.London we make this un-cool part part of our everyday mission. We work with innovators to help them understand where they should be focusing, where the need is, and who they should be talking to. And not forgetting supporting innovators to build the evidence base to demonstrate the value of their ‘cool’ innovation. For me, working with digital health innovators and clinicians to ultimately get technology into the hands of the patient is what makes it all possible.
HIN Chief Executive Rishi Das-Gupta writes about the potential of technology to reduce pressure on the NHS workforce.
The current industrial action by doctors and nurses is a symptom of a much deeper underlying problem which goes beyond pay, and the workforce crisis isn’t just that we don’t have enough staff. Our jobs have become much less human and ironically the way out may be through using technology better (and making it more fun) – giving us back time to care and improving our experience at work.
There are several complex factors that I think have led to a reduction in satisfaction, but among them are changes in working patterns and teams, increased workload and the need to use non-intuitive technology.
Firstly, we have been successful over 20 years in reducing the number of hours worked by clinical staff but often this has meant moving to a much more fragmented way of working with less continuity of care for patients and less satisfaction for medical staff. In addition, clinical staff now work with an ever-changing team and it’s harder to form the deep-peer support relationships.
Secondly, the workload has been increasing and we’ve had a 40 per cent productivity increase over the last 20 years in some areas.
Finally, poor interfaces for medical technology mean that new products and devices require training to use. This means that, rather than making clinicians’ lives easier from the outset, their adoption can be a struggle. Having spent some time looking at technology to support clinicians I believe that the next generation of technology can support our workforce in all three of these factors.
The four most promising uses of technology in my opinion are:
I will now briefly highlight the potential of each area with an example and I’ll expand each area in future blogs (depending where you’re interested)!
Firstly, the way we interact with computers to do day-to-day tasks is changing rapidly and some of the technology suppliers are using data from systems to improve the usability and staff satisfaction with their products – but this will take a product cycle (several years) to come to market. However, many of the processes we have are repetitive and require high levels of attention to do well. This is where we should be applying supervised intelligent automation (IA).
An example of this is automated note-taking in outpatients. I recently saw a prototype from Nuance for listening to a consultation in the background, transcribing this and using the transcript to populate a clinical note in an outpatient setting. This means talking as if there is an AI assistant in the room supporting us to write a clinic note. Voice interfaces and large language models (LLMs) are developing fast and have got a lot of press recently, but I think that the first application to clinical practice might be in note taking.
If we do this early, we’re likely to end up with products that suit our practices in the UK, and I can see advantages in partnering across the NHS with a tech provider to develop something to suit our needs. My hope is that if I’m a patient sitting opposite a doctor using this type of technology, they’ll look me in the eye and have time to think and to focus on me during a consultation.
Secondly, having moved to shift patterns and rolling-rotas, our ability to plan our lives has reduced. If I’m invited to wedding in December, I don’t know if I can attend. I recently saw a new product from Lantum designed to use artificial intelligence to fit rotas based on local rules to generate compliant rotas and enable swaps between people on the rota. Technologies like this offer the promise of more control over the trade-offs we make in our work-live balance.
Thirdly, remote working and communications technology offers the ability to support us in real time but also the risk that we’ll always be working/available. We’ve all got used to zoom and phone calls for support but there is more we can do to have integrated communications that route calls to the right person to support us and to others if they are busy. The opportunity I see here is to support each other when the workload is really high or we need help to know what to do. This technology has been around for a while, but I’ve previously thought it suitable for deployment only by large organisations. At the Health plus Care show in April there were several companies with products addressing this including in assisted living facilities and care homes where I saw a demo of the Ascom solution which integrated an easy patient interface (using Amazon Alexa devices) with a clinician platform that meant that all calls can be prioritised. This need is reflected in the fact that a requirement for improved communications platforms has also been included in the new contract for GPs for this year.
Fourthly, during the pandemic we saw a lot of training move online and we’ve been learning from this experience and adding well-being support to our staff development and support offers. Online and hybrid training can be delivered on-demand or at specified times in groups or alone. However, in addition to traditional training we’re also seeing other staff offers being delivered using non-face to face platforms such as mental fitness by Fika or meditation through apps like Headspace which were made available to NHS staff over the pandemic period.
This list isn’t exhaustive but I think outlines why I have hope that we could improve staff experience using technology that exists now… and the even bigger potential win would be embedding all this in a universal NHS staff app I could carry in my pocket that would integrate these features and my staff passport documents!
Staff experience impacts patient safety and evidence shows that Trusts delivering the best care have tended to also record high performing staff survey results. With tools like this I think that staff satisfaction can be impacted in months – and we need to measure it during that timeframe. NHSE has launched a shortened quarterly (NQPS) and monthly versions of the staff survey it used to publish annually (we are trialling the monthly people pulse survey at HIN) and I think it’s time we reframe the conversation about our work to bring staff experience and staff satisfaction to the forefront, alongside patient outcomes, and that we use metrics like productivity/throughput as measurable by-products of happier staff.
Although it’s easy to highlight shortfalls in the current approach I think we are at a point where we can see concrete ways to improve staff experience and to demonstrate the impact of this (and spread learnings fast) to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people working in health and care over the next year.
The Health Innovation Network works closely with health and care teams in south London and across the country to develop skills and capabilities through a variety of programmes.
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The Health Innovation Network and NHS England (London Region) recently held a series of procurement roundtables focused on remote monitoring. In this blog HIN Chief Executive Rishi Das-Gupta and NHS England Regional Director of Digital Transformation Luke Readman discuss how developmental partnerships offer the chance to accelerate the development of this emerging technology.
“Trust is hard won and easily lost. Any effective partnership needs to have a high level of trust, this means that partners must be willing to work together to solve problems collaboratively, agreeing to work in the best interests of the partnership goals.”
Healthy relationships need clear boundaries and shared goals; during the pandemic we had to procure remote monitoring solutions at pace, leaving precious little time to build trust and align visions. In London, some remote monitoring suppliers overpromised and underdelivered on the quality and time taken to build and deliver solutions; whilst service expectations were not always realistic which also contributed to the breakdown of some relationships.
The Health Innovation Network and NHS England (London Region) recently held a series of procurement roundtables, bringing together experts from across industry alongside commissioner and provider organisations to explore a better way forward.
Given our collaborative approach, it seems fitting that the “red thread” running through these lively discussions was the importance of developmental partnerships and contractually enabled collaboration to achieve our collective goals.
Some of the tactics discussed in the roundtable report include:
• Early market engagement: Co-defining problems with industry to lay the ground for partnership working through dialogue.
• Developmental contracting: Building the intention to develop a solution into contracting processes.
• Meeting future needs: Creating work packages which account for areas of uncertainty or with the flexibility to respond to “unknown unknowns”.
• Testing via pilots and evaluation: Testing work packages through contracts which build lower-risk pilots into delivery before committing to larger costs.
• Harnessing innovation: Contracting with multiple suppliers to harness innovation in all patient cohorts across a geography, including making use of Dynamic Purchasing Systems to allow new suppliers to join and local systems to articulate their own bespoke needs.
We are delighted to share the initial outputs of our roundtable events.
Further guidance and recommendations looking at how to procure and contract for partnerships can be found in our full report released in April 2023.
Remote technology has transformed mental health consultations during Covid-19 but it’s not the solution for every situation nor for all patients.
A new report has found the shift to remote mental health consultations held by telephone or video, rather than face-to-face because of the pandemic, led to improved access, reduced missed appointments, and reduced travel stress. However, it also highlighted challenges, including access to technology, issues around broadband connectivity and data packages.
The report, produced by the NHS’s Health Innovation Network, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London, King’s Improvement Science and involving experts by experience, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, makes several recommendations to inform clinical practice and to determine ongoing gaps in knowledge.
Key findings from the 6,030 patients who responded to the Trust surveys on remote consultations in mental health settings were that they allowed the flexibility of varying levels of support during the pandemic, and care was more accessible to populations who may have previously found travel to appointments challenging and some patients felt more relaxed in their own home during the consultation.
From the 554 clinicians that responded to the Trust surveys, including psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and nurses, training to use technology was raised as a need for both clinicians and patients.
Patients, carers, and clinicians said remote consultations were more convenient, reduced travel time, saved travel costs and meant family members were readily able to attend family sessions. In particular, remote mental health consultations were acceptable to people during Covid-19 to continue their treatment.
However, there is no ‘one size fits all’ and an individualised approach will always remain the gold standard, especially for new patients and children, those with a psychosis diagnosis, learning difficulties or the digitally excluded. Other barriers to remote consultations included where patients or clinicians could not access a private space where they were confident they would not be interrupted.
The report includes three evaluations:
“Technology has allowed clinicians to provide consultations remotely, and this has been well received by many patients who say it is more convenient and saves the time and stress of having to travel to appointments. ”Dr Natasha Curran, Medical Director Health Innovation Network
Health Innovation Network Medical Director Natasha Curran said:
“Access to mental health services during Covid-19 has been disrupted as patients were isolated and clinicians were unable to hold face-to-face consultations. Technology has allowed clinicians to provide consultations remotely, and this has been well received by many patients who say it is more convenient and saves the time and stress of having to travel to appointments.
“This study also shows that remote consultations don’t work for everyone for a variety of reasons: the nature of some patients’ condition, technological barriers, or privacy, for both clinicians and patients. This comprehensive report points to the benefits of a hybrid system, the importance of patient choice, where some consultations can be carried out remotely and others face to face, that could support vital ongoing mental health treatment both during Covid-19 and beyond.”
New telephony systems mean a revolution in the patient experience as part of the shift to ‘Total Triage’. But the wealth of systems on the market means GP surgeries face a daunting challenge identifying the right system, says Denis Duignan, the HIN’s Head of Digital Transformation & Technology.
Covid-19 has highlighted the inadequacies of traditional telephone systems in primary care. Patients waiting to get through on the phone, having to manually search for patient records and GP’s working remotely were all issues that have highlighted the shortcomings. But new systems help manage demand, enable remote working and improve the patient experience.
The promise of modern telephony is a transformed patient experience. However, with a multitude of systems on the market offering a range of different and complex packages, the decisions facing practices and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) keen to take advantage of new technology in this field are daunting.
The Health Innovation Network (HIN), working with Our Healthier South East London, has produced a ‘Commissioner’s Guide to Telephony’, which explores the primary care telephony market and aims to support better decision making for GP practices, federations, and primary care networks looking to upgrade or migrate their telephony solutions.
The inadequacies of traditional telephony
In 2019, poor telephone systems were identified as one of the key areas affecting patient experience and access to local primary care services within the London borough of Lambeth. The south east London Digital First Programme set out to improve primary care telephony through local healthcare, patient and industry stakeholder engagement which led to a workshop that stimulated many general practices to upgrade their systems. Whilst the learning from this was being consolidated, Covid-19 broke out across England. This very quickly highlighted the inadequacies of traditional telephone systems in facilitating an effective move to ‘Total Triage’ and remote working for clinical and non-clinical staff.
Many GP practices still use traditional phone systems, which consist of an on-site private branch exchange (PBX) which connects through fixed lines to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). This system has limited functionality and flexibility compared to more modern voice over internet protocol (VoIP) telephone systems.
What is Voice Over Internet Protocol?
Also called IP telephony, VoIP is defined as a method and group of technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks, such as the Internet. Some of the key areas where VoIP telephony has been seen to benefit primary care include:
The supplier market is large and complex
Another key area of guidance included in the report is in navigating the supplier market. The hosted telephony market in the UK is large and complex and comprises a diverse range of businesses from small family-run providers to large multi-national corporations, including both original equipment manufacturers and resellers. Understanding the capabilities of suppliers can be challenging for non-technical customers due to the number of acronyms, abbreviations, and jargon used and it is generally difficult to differentiate suppliers based on capabilities due to the range of add-on services a company can incorporate within their offer. In an effort to simplify the market for primary care, the guide includes a functional comparison of suppliers with primary care focussed products.
Practices that have adopted modern telephony systems have been overwhelmingly positive about the impact it has had on service delivery relative to their previous systems. This commissioning guide can assist other practices looking to update their telephony and realise the benefits of modern telephony.
If you want to know more do get in touch directly with the team.
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St George’s University Hospital Emergency Department unveils one of UK’s first dual queuing and self check-in system where patients see real time updates of their queue position on TV screens and smartphones.
St George’s installed the system after winning a HIN Innovation Grants award in 2019
St George’s University Hospital is one of the first Emergency Departments in the UK to introduce a dual queuing and self check-in.
Patients in the ED can map their queue position through real time updates on TV screens and smartphones.
In a move that reassures patients that they have not been missed or bypassed, the new system called “Patientcheck.in” helps free up emergency reception staff who handle a high volume of questions from patients about their wait and queue position. This has a knock-on delay in booking in new patients. Patientcheck.in – previously called “EDck.in” – also allows patients to complete a brief assessment questionnaire while they wait, using their own smartphone, which saves time during the assessment.
The technology aims to reduce patient anxiety around waiting times and improve efficiency.
Funded by the NHS’s Health Innovation Network, a joint Emergency Department and Transformation project team at St George’s was awarded £9,928 to design and build the software system and install TV monitors in the waiting areas.
Previously, a whiteboard behind the reception desk was used to display general waiting times and updated every hour. Lack of visibility of individual positions in the queue can cause concern for patients, who can worry that they have been forgotten, passed over or missed their call to see the emergency team. This can lead to repeated queries to reception staff about the waiting time and occasionally result in aggressive and abusive behaviours which puts additional pressure on staff.
The second function – the assessment questionnaire – has three major benefits. It empowers patients to tell clinicians why they are in the ED, in their own words using a non-verbal communication channel; reduces clinical administration workload and creates better quality, standardised medical documentation.
Through its integration with Cerner, the hospitals’ electronic health record system, Patientcheck.in sends the questionnaire responses directly into the electronic clinical notes. This reduces note-typing time by around eight minutes per patient. Therefore, if just half of St George’s 400 ED daily attenders complete Patientcheck.in, this equates to a potential saving of more than 26 hours of clinical time every day.
The Health Innovation Network grant was used to develop and implement the system. Now live, the team hope that Patientcheck.in will be adopted by other NHS Emergency Departments. There is also an opportunity to use it in outpatient departments and development projects are underway.
Dr Gabriel Jones, Emergency Medicine Consultant at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“We are passionate about trying new ways to improve patient experience and safety and we believe better queue visibility will give patients reassurance and free up reception team time.
“Emergency departments are pressured and all you want is to do the best for patients. It’s difficult at the moment when we can’t easily answer their top question: when will I be seen? With relatively simple technology we believe we can make a huge difference to their experience and support staff at the same time by reducing interruptions. Greater transparency over the complex queues we operate will help everyone gain a greater understanding of how teams are working to help people.”
“We are passionate about trying new ways to improve patient experience and safety and we believe better queue visibility will give patients reassurance and free up reception team time.”Dr Gabriel Jones, Emergency Medicine Consultant at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Health Innovation Network Programme Director for Innovation Lesley Soden said:
“Hospital emergency departments can often be highly volatile as by their nature they have anxious patients waiting to be seen. Those patients often worry that they have been missed or passed over by other patients and this can lead to repeated questions to hard pressed reception staff, who are then preventing from getting on with their work to triage.
“This is a simple system using existing technology that can improve the patient experience, free up reception staff to focus on registering arriving patients and ultimately lead to faster care in hospital emergency departments.”
Get more info on St George’s Patientcheck.in
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