DHI appoints University of Stirling team to evaluate medication dispensing technology in Scottish care services

DHI has appointed a multidisciplinary research team from the University of Stirling to undertake an independent academic evaluation of a medication dispensing technology currently being trialled within Scottish health and social care services.

This technology is designed to support individuals, particularly older adults and people living with chronic conditions, manage their medication more safely and independently in community settings.  Medication adherence remains a major challenge for health and care systems, with around half of people with long-term conditions not taking their medication as prescribed.  Automated dispensing, reminders and real-time monitoring have the potential to improve outcomes for individuals while reducing pressure on services.

Through this commission, DHI is investing in a robust, independent evaluation to understand the impact and wider potential of the technology - such as how this technology influences medication adherence, staff workload and service delivery, alongside outcomes for people receiving care. It will also explore how data generated by the device can be used to inform care planning and integrated into Scotland’s national Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC). 

The University of Stirling team will apply a theory-informed, mixed-methods approach, combining service data with insights from service users, carers and staff. Their work will be delivered in three phases, from refining the trial design through to full evaluation and reporting, with findings expected to inform future decisions on wider deployment. 

Professor Margaret Whoriskey, Head of Innovation Care and Wellbeing (DHI), said:

“This work will provide important independent evidence on how medication dispensing technology can support people to manage their medicines safely at home, helping more people to live independently, while also easing pressures across health and social care services and informing decisions on wider adoption.”

Dr Carolyn Wilson-Nash, Principal Investigator (University of Stirling), said:

"Medication adherence is one of the biggest challenges facing social care, and we're pleased to be evaluating how this technology might help.

Our interdisciplinary team brings together experience across marketing, dementia and ageing, and health psychology, alongside invaluable insights from our PPI co-researchers, which will be central to understanding the lived experience of people managing multiple long-term conditions and medications."

This work reflects DHI’s ongoing commitment to supporting innovation underpinned by strong evidence, ensuring that digital technologies deliver meaningful benefits for people, practitioners and the wider system.