Digital Technology and Transformation
Identifying and adopting digital innovations
Overview
Aligned with the 10 Year Health Plan for England’s shift from analogue to digital, digital innovation is the driving force behind modern healthcare transformation. However, with a rapidly growing landscape of new technologies, the challenge lies not just in finding a solution, but in finding the right solution.
Our team are specialists in project management, technology, and innovation, we guide our stakeholders through the entire lifecycle, from identifying the challenge to successfully adopting innovations. We work with regional and national stakeholders, across the NHS and with industry to deliver solutions tailored to every unique need.
Areas of expertise
- Understanding the challenge
We work with stakeholders to define the core needs or pain points a digital solution should address. Support can include scoping sessions, workshops and roundtables. - Selecting innovations
We carry out horizon scans and market reviews to understand the digital landscape, compare options and identify solutions that best fit the identified priorities.
- Pre-procurement support
We develop business cases, run market engagement events, and collaborate with procurement teams to shape requirements and procurement processes for new technologies. - Adopting the innovations
We provide change management support to enable adoption, including stakeholder engagement, shared learning activities, and development of practical implementation resources.
Horizon Scanning
Our horizon scan identifies emerging trends, risks, and disruptive opportunities over the long term (2 to 5+ years). It is future-oriented, broad in scope, and typically cross industry.
Data sources and inputs
- Existing HIN Evidence Base
- DigitalHealth.London portfolio
- NHS Futures Platform
- Academic and public databases
Beyond data gathering, we apply our own deep expertise in all things digital and clinical. We review all outputs to validate findings and make tailored strategic suggestions.
Themes and pathways explored
- Cancer pathways
- Dementia
- AI in Diagnostics
- Remote monitoring
- Ambient Voice Technology
- Wearables in emergency care
- Elective care
- Referral management systems
- Children and young people’s mental health
Outputs and strategic value
Deliverables
- Report on emerging innovations from academia and industry
- New care models enabled by technology
- Demand signalling for challenges and opportunities in the next 2-5+ years
Key features and analysis
- Early identification of innovations
- Clinical and operational relevance assessment
- Evidence-based insights
- Spread and adoption potential
- Alignment with NHS priorities
Typical timeline
~3 to 6 weeks
Timeline varies based on client needs, ranging from a list of innovations to a comprehensive report.
Horizon Scan examples
Dementia Health Tech
Conducted as part of a collaboration with the NIHR, this report provides an overview of emerging products with the potential to transform the diagnosis of dementia.
Access the three reports:
Digital mental health technologies for children and young people
Addressed rapidly growing demand and an increasingly sophisticated market for digital mental health technologies focused on young people. The project included a literature review, horizon scan, and recommendations.
Market Review
Our market review analyses current market conditions, competitors, and customer behaviour. The process focuses on present-day solutions within specific industry or market segments to support immediate procurement decisions.
Data sources and inputs
- Existing HIN Evidence Base
- DigitalHealth.London portfolio
- NHS Futures Platform
- Academic and public databases
Beyond data gathering, we apply our own deep expertise in all things digital and clinical. We review all outputs to validate findings and make tailored strategic suggestions.
Depth of analysis
We evaluate potential solutions against national/regional criteria to ensure they are procurement ready, such as:
- Product specifications
- Interoperability
- Technical maturity
- Deployment information
- Company viability
- Clinical governance
- Security and compliance
- Use cases
- Implementation details
Outputs and strategic value
What you will recieve
- Market analysis and competitor map
- Detailed customer insights
- Product features and commercial information
- Company recommendations for imminent procurement
- Support with company selection and provider interviews
What is the strategic value?
- Provides actionable insights for immediate decision making
- De-risks procurement by validating technical maturity
- Accelerates time-to-value for new interventions
Typical timeline
~8 to 12 weeks
Timeline varies based on client needs, ranging from a list of innovations to a comprehensive report.
Market Review examples
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in cancer care
Commissioned by the South East London Cancer Alliance, this review identified case studies and potential suppliers of RPA solutions. The goal was to significantly reduce the backlog of patients awaiting cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Access the three reports:
TeleRehab Decision Support System
The market access report, provides a strategic overview of the telerehabilitation market across five key European countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It examines how demographic trends, healthcare system pressures, and technological innovation are shaping the adoption of digital rehabilitation tools, including virtual reality-based solutions.
Non-clinical AI
We were commissioned by the Health Foundation to explore how non‑clinical AI is being used across the NHS. The market review aimed to identify real‑world AI applications supporting corporate, operational and clinical operations functions in the NHS.
Digital platforms used to access health information by children and young people in south west London
The challenge
Children and young people increasingly seek health information online, but little is known about how they choose platforms, assess trustworthiness, or navigate digital barriers. This created a risk of inequitable access, misinformation, and missed opportunities to support early help and prevention.
The solution
This project explored how children, young people and families in south west London access digital health information, with a focus on prevention and wellbeing.
We combined a rapid evidence review with local engagement involving children, young people, parents and carers. This helped us understand which digital platforms are used, how people assess trust and credibility, and the barriers they face when seeking health information online.
The project produced a set of recommendations for south west London, translating user insight into practical considerations for the design and commissioning of digital preventative health resources. These findings provide a shared evidence base to support future work, helping to ensure that digital health content is trusted, accessible, inclusive, and aligned with how children and young people engage online.
Get in touch
If you are looking to identify the right digital solutions, we can support you through horizon scans and market reviews to understand emerging innovations and current options and help you select technologies that meet your needs.
Projects
Latest
