The IDDEAS and GDS projects seek to develop innovative new resources for My Diabetes My Way (MDMW) to support people living with diabetes to gain insight from health and lifestyle data to improve self-management. The IDDEAS and GDS projects were proposed by the Clinical and Technical Leads from the MDMW team, both based at the University of Dundee. The projects were accepted by the DHI as part of an integrated ‘Digital Diabetes’ programme of seven projects seeking to develop digital resources to support self-management. The Experience Lab Team were tasked with working with the intended end users to understand how they would like to collect, share, see and use their health and lifestyle data within MDMW, and understand the acceptability of the proposed innovations and how they could best support self-management. < Return to resources Digital Diabetes IDDEAS and GDS Teal, Gemma and Thorup, Tine and Baillie, Jen and Johnson, Michael The IDDEAS and GDS projects seek to develop innovative new resources for My Diabetes My Way (MDMW) to support people living with diabetes to gain insight from health and lifestyle data to improve self-management. The IDDEAS and GDS projects were proposed by the Clinical and Technical Leads from the MDMW team, both based at the University of Dundee. The projects were accepted by the DHI as part of an integrated ‘Digital Diabetes’ programme of seven projects seeking to develop digital resources to support self-management. The Experience Lab Team were tasked with working with the intended end users to understand how they would like to collect, share, see and use their health and lifestyle data within MDMW, and understand the acceptability of the proposed innovations and how they could best support self-management. View resource Previous item Next item Digital Diabetes IDDEAS and GDS Report 2018 Start Now

Mental health is a complex, dynamic challenge and to support resilience and wellbeing in our communities it is evident from our research this requires a joined-up approach and shared vision. To get a complete picture of the landscape the DHI team engaged in interviews, workshops, and group discussions with a range of stakeholders from healthcare, community and third sector services. The following themes emerged from extensive stakeholder engagement as key needs to be accounted for to enable gold standard community mental health and wellbeing. < Return to resources Community Mental Health Interim Report Brooks, Elizabeth and Stengs, Grant Mental health is a complex, dynamic challenge and to support resilience and wellbeing in our communities it is evident from our research this requires a joined-up approach and shared vision. To get a complete picture of the landscape the DHI team engaged in interviews, workshops, and group discussions with a range of stakeholders from healthcare, community and third sector services. The following themes emerged from extensive stakeholder engagement as key needs to be accounted for to enable gold standard community mental health and wellbeing. View resource Previous item Next item Community Mental Health Interim Report Report 2020 Start Now

The role of the designer is changing from the ‘top-down’ creative to the humble designer (Slavin, 2016), fostering collaboration with a range of stakeholders and partnering with other disciplines as the ‘integrative discipline’ (Teal and French, 2016). As such, a new consideration of empathy is required to creatively engage people in co-creation using participatory design approaches. This paper discusses empathy within a participatory design approach, sharing methods and reflections of designing ‘with’ and ‘for’ empathy. The paper considers the role of the designer in engendering empathy in collaborative creativity and illustrates approaches from applied projects in the health and care context. < Return to resources Design for empathy in collaborative creativity French, Tara and Teal, Gemma The role of the designer is changing from the ‘top-down’ creative to the humble designer (Slavin, 2016), fostering collaboration with a range of stakeholders and partnering with other disciplines as the ‘integrative discipline’ (Teal and French, 2016). As such, a new consideration of empathy is required to creatively engage people in co-creation using participatory design approaches. This paper discusses empathy within a participatory design approach, sharing methods and reflections of designing ‘with’ and ‘for’ empathy. The paper considers the role of the designer in engendering empathy in collaborative creativity and illustrates approaches from applied projects in the health and care context. View resource Previous item Next item Design for empathy in collaborative creativity Paper 2016 Start Now

This Evaluation Summary provides an accessible overview of the key findings from Phase 2 of the Digital Lifelines Scotland (DLS) programme (2023–2025). It highlights how digital access, skills training, and new technologies have positively impacted the lives of people at high risk of drug-related harm. The summary covers digital inclusion outcomes, improvements in wellbeing, reduced isolation, and enhanced access to vital services. It is designed for a wide audience, including policymakers, commissioners, frontline staff, and community partners. < Return to resources Evaluation of the Digital Lifelines Scotland (DLS) Programme – EVALUATION SUMMARY Perkins, A., Dumbrell, J., Livingston, W., McCluskey, S., Steele, S. This Evaluation Summary provides an accessible overview of the key findings from Phase 2 of the Digital Lifelines Scotland (DLS) programme (2023–2025). It highlights how digital access, skills training, and new technologies have positively impacted the lives of people at high risk of drug-related harm. The summary covers digital inclusion outcomes, improvements in wellbeing, reduced isolation, and enhanced access to vital services. It is designed for a wide audience, including policymakers, commissioners, frontline staff, and community partners. View resource Previous item Next item Evaluation of the Digital Lifelines Scotland (DLS) Programme – EVALUATION SUMMARY Report 2025 Start Now

In November 2022, DHI was commissioned by UKRI to contribute to Workstream 2 of the £20m MINDSET Programme, aiming to trial a platform for the distribution and procurement of mental health XR experiences, products, and solutions. DHI devised a three-stage approach, encompassing Current State Mapping, Co-designing Future State, and Recommendations, which involved a comprehensive review, interviews, co-design workshops, and analysis to inform the report's recommendations. < Return to resources MINDSET Workstream 2: Scoping Review for the Distribution and Procurement of Mental Health and Wellbeing XR Experiences, Products and Solutions in the UK Digital Health & Care Institute (DHI), Fuzesi, P., Kendall, W., MacKenzie, M., McIntyre, D., Rimpiläinen, S., Savage, J. & Stoney, C. In November 2022, DHI was commissioned by UKRI to contribute to Workstream 2 of the £20m MINDSET Programme, aiming to trial a platform for the distribution and procurement of mental health XR experiences, products, and solutions. DHI devised a three-stage approach, encompassing Current State Mapping, Co-designing Future State, and Recommendations, which involved a comprehensive review, interviews, co-design workshops, and analysis to inform the report's recommendations. View resource Previous item Next item MINDSET Workstream 2: Scoping Review for the Distribution and Procurement of Mental Health and Wellbeing XR Experiences, Products and Solutions in the UK Report 2023 Start Now

This report is an international review and analysis of frameworks intended to support digital working by healthcare frontline staff. The purpose of this study has been to make sense of the different frameworks developed to support work in a digitally enabled context, specifically in healthcare; to understand who and what they are for, what their intended purposes and the shared elements across frameworks are. Finally, the report offers recommendations or guidance for when it might it be useful to develop another new framework to support healthcare staff working in a digitally supported environment, and in that case, what to take into account. < Return to resources How to navigate the digital shift in healthcare? An international review and analysis of frameworks used to support digital working by frontline healthcare staff Rimpiläinen, S., Bosnic, I, Savage, J. This report is an international review and analysis of frameworks intended to support digital working by healthcare frontline staff. The purpose of this study has been to make sense of the different frameworks developed to support work in a digitally enabled context, specifically in healthcare; to understand who and what they are for, what their intended purposes and the shared elements across frameworks are. Finally, the report offers recommendations or guidance for when it might it be useful to develop another new framework to support healthcare staff working in a digitally supported environment, and in that case, what to take into account. View resource Previous item Next item How to navigate the digital shift in healthcare? An international review and analysis of frameworks used to support digital working by frontline healthcare staff Report 2024 Start Now

This factsheet presents the key point of the skills and capabilities analysis from the full report "Spotlight on Careers in Digital Health and Care", available from: https://doi.org/10.17868/69247. < Return to resources Spotlight on Careers in Digital Health and Care: Skills Heat Map Factsheet Rimpiläinen, Sanna and Morrison, Ciarán and Nielsen, Søren Lange and Rooney, Laura This factsheet presents the key point of the skills and capabilities analysis from the full report "Spotlight on Careers in Digital Health and Care", available from: https://doi.org/10.17868/69247. View resource Previous item Next item Spotlight on Careers in Digital Health and Care: Skills Heat Map Factsheet Factsheet 2019 Start Now

This is a selection of projects to celebrate ten years of meaningful co-design at the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI). We have chosen examples of lived experience engagements that informed concepts for innovating health and care across a range of diverse contexts and topics. We are a multi-disciplinary team of Design Researchers and Creative Technologists based at The GSA’s Innovation School in Glasgow and Moray. We work across urban and rural contexts – locally, nationally, and internationally. Our participatory design approach to innovation is person-centred, not technology-driven, focusing on understanding the lived experience of people and their preferred future ways of living and working. Participants with lived experience are supported to share their stories, challenges and ideas using bespoke methods and tools. Through visualisation, collaborative making, prototyping, and simulation we enable new ways of collaborative working and the translation of insights into future health and care products, services, and systems. < Return to resources 10 Years of Meaningful Co-design McIntyre, Don., Teal, Gemma, Bruce, Angela., Raman, Sneha, Bradley, Jay and Cummings, Marissa This is a selection of projects to celebrate ten years of meaningful co-design at the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI). We have chosen examples of lived experience engagements that informed concepts for innovating health and care across a range of diverse contexts and topics. We are a multi-disciplinary team of Design Researchers and Creative Technologists based at The GSA’s Innovation School in Glasgow and Moray. We work across urban and rural contexts – locally, nationally, and internationally. Our participatory design approach to innovation is person-centred, not technology-driven, focusing on understanding the lived experience of people and their preferred future ways of living and working. Participants with lived experience are supported to share their stories, challenges and ideas using bespoke methods and tools. Through visualisation, collaborative making, prototyping, and simulation we enable new ways of collaborative working and the translation of insights into future health and care products, services, and systems. View resource Previous item Next item 10 Years of Meaningful Co-design Show / exhibition 2023 Start Now

In January 2024, DHI was commissioned by the Scottish Government to develop a Care and Wellbeing Innovation Portfolio, focusing, in particular, on social care innovation. Through engagement with over 20 national organizations, DHI identified key priorities for scaling digital innovation in social care and to lever research and innovation opportunities. The findings emphasise the need for a supportive infrastructure, an innovation pathway, a framework for evaluating impacts, and alignment of ongoing projects. The report outlines steps to advance digital social care innovation across Scotland and shares insight on creating the conditions to foster social care innovation and collaboration across sectors. < Return to resources Digital Innovation in Social Care : Priorities and Opportunities for Scotland Whoriskey, Margaret and Raman, Sneha and Kunte, Aarya and McIntyre, Don In January 2024, DHI was commissioned by the Scottish Government to develop a Care and Wellbeing Innovation Portfolio, focusing, in particular, on social care innovation. Through engagement with over 20 national organizations, DHI identified key priorities for scaling digital innovation in social care and to lever research and innovation opportunities. The findings emphasise the need for a supportive infrastructure, an innovation pathway, a framework for evaluating impacts, and alignment of ongoing projects. The report outlines steps to advance digital social care innovation across Scotland and shares insight on creating the conditions to foster social care innovation and collaboration across sectors. View resource Previous item Next item Digital Innovation in Social Care : Priorities and Opportunities for Scotland Report 2025 Start Now

This is a report of a formative evaluation of the National Decision Support Programme, focusing on Cambio, a pilot platform tested in primary care. The Scottish Government funded the National Decision Support Roadmap in 2015 to enhance decision support in health and care settings, leading to the development of a Decision Support Platform. Stakeholders supported Cambio as an open standards-based decision support platform, emphasizing the need for strong national leadership, system usability, and ongoing monitoring to address potential challenges in implementation and achieve desired benefits. < Return to resources Creating and Applying an Evaluation Framework for the National Decision Support Programme in Scotland Cresswell, Kathrin and Callaghan, Margaret and Mozaffar, Hajar and Sheikh, Aziz This is a report of a formative evaluation of the National Decision Support Programme, focusing on Cambio, a pilot platform tested in primary care. The Scottish Government funded the National Decision Support Roadmap in 2015 to enhance decision support in health and care settings, leading to the development of a Decision Support Platform. Stakeholders supported Cambio as an open standards-based decision support platform, emphasizing the need for strong national leadership, system usability, and ongoing monitoring to address potential challenges in implementation and achieve desired benefits. View resource Previous item Next item Creating and Applying an Evaluation Framework for the National Decision Support Programme in Scotland Article 2019 Start Now

A key strand of the Scottish Access Collaborative (SAC)’s work is the delivery of the Specialty Sub-Group programme, in which a range of experts in clinical specialties undertake a cycle of design-led workshops with the support of the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI). DHI was commissioned to design workshops aimed at producing high-level mapping of each clinical area and identifying clinically led and patient-centred sustainable improvements. The findings from these workshops will form the basis of a speciality-led Access Collaborative programme delivering solutions to help scheduled care services sustainably meet the challenges of the future. < Return to resources Scottish Access Collaborative Specialty Series Report Porteous, A., Blank, L., Schauberger, U., Smith, P., Brooks, E. A key strand of the Scottish Access Collaborative (SAC)’s work is the delivery of the Specialty Sub-Group programme, in which a range of experts in clinical specialties undertake a cycle of design-led workshops with the support of the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI). DHI was commissioned to design workshops aimed at producing high-level mapping of each clinical area and identifying clinically led and patient-centred sustainable improvements. The findings from these workshops will form the basis of a speciality-led Access Collaborative programme delivering solutions to help scheduled care services sustainably meet the challenges of the future. View resource Previous item Next item Scottish Access Collaborative Specialty Series Report Report 2019 Start Now

A case study of the Digital Health & Care Institute and its new innovation model for the delivery of digital health and care in Scotland, joining co-design and patient-centred care through academic, business and citizen involvement in 2016. The DHI's mission is to revolutionize health and care delivery in Scotland by fostering innovation, generating ideas, and creating a new digital health and care economy. Operating on a triple-helix innovation model, DHI facilitates exploratory, laboratory, and factory phases, supporting nearly 90 research and development projects since its inception in October 2013. < Return to resources A new culture of innovation in Scotland - the case for Digital Health & Care Institute: an example of a new innovation model for the delivery of digital health and care in Scotland Rimpiläinen, Sanna and Dedeu, Toni and Boyle, Joanne and Faulds, Brendan and Arnell, Grace and Arias, Veronica and Chute, Chaloner A case study of the Digital Health & Care Institute and its new innovation model for the delivery of digital health and care in Scotland, joining co-design and patient-centred care through academic, business and citizen involvement in 2016. The DHI's mission is to revolutionize health and care delivery in Scotland by fostering innovation, generating ideas, and creating a new digital health and care economy. Operating on a triple-helix innovation model, DHI facilitates exploratory, laboratory, and factory phases, supporting nearly 90 research and development projects since its inception in October 2013. View resource Previous item Next item A new culture of innovation in Scotland - the case for Digital Health & Care Institute: an example of a new innovation model for the delivery of digital health and care in Scotland Report 2016 Start Now

‘SCOTCAP Service Model Evaluation’ is a collaboration between DHI, NHS Highland, NHS Grampian, NHS Western Isles and the Medtronic/ Corporate Health International (CHI) partnership. It was carried out during the SCOTCAP project’s Innovation Phase from May 2019 to March 2020. The project partners are working together to develop a service model through an evaluative process. This evolutionary approach offers an innovative, adaptable, and responsive approach to developing a new service model. The DHI and participating teams collaborated across an extensive programme of work, and employed design innovation methodologies, to ensure that the challenges experienced, and opportunities identified were captured and analysed to underpin a set of recommendations for a service model blueprint. The service model blueprint will offer advisory actions for a ‘scaled version’ of SCOTCAP to support a national service model. < Return to resources SCOTCAP Service Evaluation Bradley, J.,Brogen, M., Palmer-Abbs, M., Rossi, G. and Wood, J. ‘SCOTCAP Service Model Evaluation’ is a collaboration between DHI, NHS Highland, NHS Grampian, NHS Western Isles and the Medtronic/ Corporate Health International (CHI) partnership. It was carried out during the SCOTCAP project’s Innovation Phase from May 2019 to March 2020. The project partners are working together to develop a service model through an evaluative process. This evolutionary approach offers an innovative, adaptable, and responsive approach to developing a new service model. The DHI and participating teams collaborated across an extensive programme of work, and employed design innovation methodologies, to ensure that the challenges experienced, and opportunities identified were captured and analysed to underpin a set of recommendations for a service model blueprint. The service model blueprint will offer advisory actions for a ‘scaled version’ of SCOTCAP to support a national service model. View resource Previous item Next item SCOTCAP Service Evaluation Report 2020 Start Now

This report provides an overview of the Digital Health and Digital Social Care (DH&SC) Industry sector in Scotland and the underpinning methodology used to generate this understanding. The report focuses on actively trading businesses that are headquartered, or have a registered or trading address, in Scotland. It provides a baseline view of the sector in 2025, including information on company type, growth stage, fundraising status and geographic location and an analysis of companies developing products and services for key system pull needs. Sectoral strengths and weaknesses are reviewed and recommendations for next steps made. Overall, the report evidences an emerging DH&SC Industry sector in Scotland that has significant potential to continue growing at pace under the right conditions. < Return to resources Digital Health and Social Care Deep Dive Report Callum Newton, Maarya Omar, Michael Breslin, Evangeline Luckhurst, Hannah Nicholls and Abigail Lyons. This report provides an overview of the Digital Health and Digital Social Care (DH&SC) Industry sector in Scotland and the underpinning methodology used to generate this understanding. The report focuses on actively trading businesses that are headquartered, or have a registered or trading address, in Scotland. It provides a baseline view of the sector in 2025, including information on company type, growth stage, fundraising status and geographic location and an analysis of companies developing products and services for key system pull needs. Sectoral strengths and weaknesses are reviewed and recommendations for next steps made. Overall, the report evidences an emerging DH&SC Industry sector in Scotland that has significant potential to continue growing at pace under the right conditions. View resource Previous item Next item Digital Health and Social Care Deep Dive Report Report 2026 Start Now

This plan describes the evolution, substance and intended implementation of DHI’s refreshed approach to commercial industry engagement. It aims to help more Scottish SMEs, start-ups and spin outs take their innovations to health and social care markets through focusing on Top Tier suppliers to the NHS and social care providers as their key customers. This approach will enable more SMEs to commercialise and scale in Scotland, and access overseas markets; Scottish Health and Social Care providers to access more de-risked innovations; Scotland’s citizens to benefit from deployment of innovative products and services; and Top Tier Suppliers to address gaps in their innovation pipeline. < Return to resources DHI Industry Engagement Plan 2024 – 2027 Lyons, Abigail and MacKenzie, Moira This plan describes the evolution, substance and intended implementation of DHI’s refreshed approach to commercial industry engagement. It aims to help more Scottish SMEs, start-ups and spin outs take their innovations to health and social care markets through focusing on Top Tier suppliers to the NHS and social care providers as their key customers. This approach will enable more SMEs to commercialise and scale in Scotland, and access overseas markets; Scottish Health and Social Care providers to access more de-risked innovations; Scotland’s citizens to benefit from deployment of innovative products and services; and Top Tier Suppliers to address gaps in their innovation pipeline. View resource Previous item Next item DHI Industry Engagement Plan 2024 – 2027 Report 2024 Start Now

This report reviews digital approaches involving citizens in contact tracing efforts, addressing public health data needs, privacy concerns, technologies, and digital ethics, aiming to inform a consistent approach to digital contact tracing in Scotland, aligning with policy on secure, transparent, participatory, and privacy-respectful data sharing in response to the measures that needed to be put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Expert insights and recommendations cover desirable outcomes, secure and privacy-respectful system architecture, communication standards, and ethical challenges to secure public trust, applicable to broader aspects of digital health in Scotland. < Return to resources Use of Participatory Apps in Contact Tracing: Options and Implications for Public Health, Privacy and Trust Buchanan, W., Imran, M., Pagliari, C., Pell, J. & Rimpiläinen, S. This report reviews digital approaches involving citizens in contact tracing efforts, addressing public health data needs, privacy concerns, technologies, and digital ethics, aiming to inform a consistent approach to digital contact tracing in Scotland, aligning with policy on secure, transparent, participatory, and privacy-respectful data sharing in response to the measures that needed to be put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Expert insights and recommendations cover desirable outcomes, secure and privacy-respectful system architecture, communication standards, and ethical challenges to secure public trust, applicable to broader aspects of digital health in Scotland. View resource Previous item Next item Use of Participatory Apps in Contact Tracing: Options and Implications for Public Health, Privacy and Trust Report 2020 Start Now

The TEC requested a review of emerging trends in Digital Health and Care to inform future program direction in Scotland. The report captures the sector's position as of Autumn 2018, with trends likely to remain relevant for 3-5 years. While comprehensive, it's not exhaustive and hasn't undergone academic peer review. < Return to resources Review of Emerging Trends in Digital Health and Care: A report by the Digital Health and Care Institute Rooney, Laura and Rimpiläinen, Sanna and Morrison, Ciarán and Nielsen, Søren Lange The TEC requested a review of emerging trends in Digital Health and Care to inform future program direction in Scotland. The report captures the sector's position as of Autumn 2018, with trends likely to remain relevant for 3-5 years. While comprehensive, it's not exhaustive and hasn't undergone academic peer review. View resource Previous item Next item Review of Emerging Trends in Digital Health and Care: A report by the Digital Health and Care Institute Report 2019 Start Now