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In 2024, DHI continued its Digital Health and Social Care Scholarships Programme. This year, the Scottish Funding Council increased its funding award to DHI from 20 to 23 full-time equivalent places. We are delighted to announce that all of these scholarship places have been successfully allocated, enabling 32 students to study subjects related to the digital transformation of health and care across nine Scottish Higher Education Institutions in nine subject areas. These include the Universities of Aberdeen, Glasgow School of Art, Highlands and Islands, St Andrews, Stirling, Strathclyde, West of Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, and Robert Gordon University. The master's courses include subjects in data science, health and social care leadership, sports science, and health psychology; 12 of the students are current health and social care professionals studying part-time. In 2025-26, DHI will open a new round of funding. If you are interested in undertaking master’s studies, learn more here  or email us at: scholarships@dhi-scotland.com

Over the past three months, I’ve been part of a diverse and dynamic cohort of women from across Scotland’s tech ecosystem, representing public, private, and third-sector organisations, taking part in the Empowering Women to Lead Digital Transformation  programme.  I thoroughly enjoyed my experience, not only from a professional development opportunity perspective, but also being given the chance to connect with like-minded women, each bringing their own unique perspective, expertise, and energy. The relationships forged through this experience feel like a lifelong network of support, collaboration, and inspiration. Crucially for me, the   programme   didn’t just teach us about leadership — by creating a welcoming and supportive environment it showed us the value of lifting each other up and building inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive. Working in smaller teams, our journey culminated in a graduation event in Edinburgh, where we presented our Challenge Projects to industry peers.  My team were tasked with exploring the ways in which emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) are reshaping workplaces across Scotland, looking specifically at areas such as the fears and risks around AI replacing the workforce, and how AI is shaping different industries.  In addition to presenting our findings, we drafted a blog post which looked at specific applications and approaches to using AI from our collective experiences. This graduation marks the end of a chapter, but also the beginning of a new journey - here’s to breaking barriers, building communities, and leading the way for a more inclusive and diverse tech sector!

Digital Lifelines Scotland is holding a Parliamentary reception at Holyrood, sponsored by Clare Haughey MSP, on the evening of 13th March 2025. The event will highlight the success and impact of the programme to date and make a compelling case for the initiative to progress into its next phase.   The reception will be a showcase of the powerful way digital services and a focus on digital inclusion has enabled support for people who use drugs. Reflecting on the previous 4 years of Digital Lifelines Scotland, we will showcase the positive change the programme has facilitated across the sector.     We will illustrate how organisations and their workforces have gained new skills and maximised their service offering. We will demonstrate how digital inclusion has people who use drugs at the centre of their care and well-being and has become an essential enabler for people previously excluded to access support and be included and connected.     Partners from across Scotland will attend to share their learning and insights and feature the creative storytelling project, which empowers the people who are at the heart of what we do to tell their own stories, on their own terms, and to have their voices heard.  If you are interested in attending this invitation-only reception, please contact the programme team

DHI have recently welcomed our Step Up To Net Zero (SUTNZ) placement. The SUTNZ programme is delivered by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, and fully funded by Glasgow City Council and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (the UK SPF). This initiative provides funded support to help organisations take actions towards net zero and circular goals. Over the next few months, the placement will support our work in Priority Action Area 6 – Contribution to Net Zero. This is a relatively new area of priority for DHI, and we will identify specific opportunities where we can do more to increase and accelerate our contribution to net zero targets in support of addressing climate change. We look forward to sharing the lessons learned from these activities with the wider network to support knowledge exchange. Learn more about the Step Up To Net Zero initiative here .

AI is no longer just a futuristic concept; it’s transforming the way we live and work. But how exactly does it influence working practices, and what challenges and opportunities does it bring? This blog explores some examples of how AI is shaping different industries and considers the steps needed to ensure a successful transition. Health and care: an extra pair of (digital) hands Scotland's health and care sector is witnessing huge transformative changes due to AI. However, while fears about job displacement linger, AI’s role here is more of a supportive one. Imagine administrative AI systems that handle routine patient documentation, appointment scheduling, and preliminary assessments. This shift allows healthcare professionals to redirect their time and skills toward patient interactions and complex case management. Moreover, AI's data analysis capabilities can enhance clinical decision-making by identifying patterns and early warning signs that might otherwise be overlooked. While AI can streamline many processes, its role is complementary, ensuring that the human touch remains central to patient care. As healthcare evolves, training and upskilling staff to work effectively with these technologies will be crucial for maximising the benefits of AI. "AI tools can help create a more efficient, responsive, and supportive environment for frontline staff. This makes life easier for health and care professionals by saving time, reducing errors, and improving patient safety by connecting data efficiently. Ultimately, this leads to better informed and faster working practices in health and care." - Dr Sanna Rimpiläinen, Head of Research and Skills, Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre Higher Education: adapting to a new era Universities are also experiencing the transformative effects of AI, employing the technology to automate administrative processes and optimise data analysis - freeing staff to focus on teaching, mentorship, and innovative research. The University of Edinburgh, for instance, has established comprehensive guidance for staff, allowing them to navigate AI’s potential within clear boundaries. Platforms such as the Edinburgh Language Models AI Platform  and Oxford’s AI Competency Centre  provide safe spaces for staff to experiment and upskill, ensuring that professionals are prepared for evolving roles in a digitally driven academic environment. “The impact of AI on organisations is hard to anticipate as the technology is rapidly evolving. Providing staff with up-to-date guidance is an important step to raise awareness, encourage debate, and give colleagues the confidence to navigate emerging opportunities and challenges.” - Professor Michael Rovatsos, Personal Chair of Artificial Intelligence, The University of Edinburgh Scottish Government: transforming policy work Policymaking in the public sector relies on extensive record keeping and understanding current context. AI could revolutionise this by providing tools that summarise historical documents and help civil servants synthesise insights faster. This shift could enhance the efficiency of policy development, allowing civil servants to focus more on strategic analysis and less on manual data retrieval. Departments such as the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology are already investing in AI incubator projects  aimed at transforming how civil servants work. Yet, challenges remain: budget constraints, skills gaps, and legacy systems can slow AI adoption in public services. Overcoming these hurdles will require not just technological solutions but also a cultural shift toward innovation and learning. Renewable Energy: pioneering AI for sustainability Scotland’s renewable energy landscape has been a leader in embracing AI for a more sustainable future. A standout example is SSE’s partnership with Microsoft, Avanade, and NatureScot, which used AI to monitor puffin populations along the Scottish coastline. This innovative approach, which earned a Scottish Green Energy Award for Innovation , highlights how AI can automate wildlife tracking, providing critical data while freeing human resources for higher-value analysis. AI also has a promising role in improving operational efficiency for renewable energy projects, from predictive maintenance of wind turbines to optimising energy distribution. However, as energy leaders explore these frontiers, they must grapple with governance and data quality to ensure robust and reliable AI solutions. IT Consultancy and Public Sector Support: an evolution in service delivery For IT support and consultancy, AI is a game changer. Tasks such as automated code writing, documentation, ticket management, and troubleshooting can now be handled by AI-driven systems, reducing response times and improving accuracy. The Scottish government and transport sectors, for instance, could leverage AI-powered customer service bots to address routine queries, allowing human agents to focus on complex, high-stakes interactions. Moreover, predictive analytics can transform IT support by foreseeing potential system issues before they escalate. This proactive approach not only reduces downtime but also enhances the overall customer experience. Yet, as with all sectors, adopting AI in public IT services will require investment in updating infrastructure and applications, staff training and a clear strategy to address data privacy and security concerns and fostering an AI-ready culture within the organisation. The road ahead From these examples, it’s clear that AI’s integration into different industry sectors brings with it an array of opportunities for greater efficiency, enhanced job satisfaction, and innovative approaches to long-standing challenges. However, successful adoption requires more than just the technology—it calls for strategic planning, upskilling the workforce, and embracing a culture that’s open to change. Ultimately, AI offers the opportunity to work smarter, not harder, across diverse fields – and if AI can count puffins, who knows what else it might do?

There was a palpable buzz and determination in the air at Edinburgh College on Wednesday, November 27th, following the first Innovation Centres’ Roadshow of 2024-25. This event marked a significant step towards fostering strategic collaboration across institutions and sectors for innovation and skills development in East of Scotland. The day brought together Scotland’s four national innovation centres (ICs) to unveil their ambitious 10-year plans, relaunch their skills and workforce development agendas, and highlight the support they offer to colleges and universities. Organised by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), the roadshow day provided an in-depth look at the digital transformation of health and care. The morning began with a warm welcome from Jon Buglass, Vice Principal of Innovation Planning & Performance at Edinburgh College. Opening remarks were delivered by Janette Hughes , Director of Planning & Performance at DHI, followed by a strategic keynote address from Fiona Bates, Senior Policy Officer at the Scottish Funding Council . The presentations on the Innovation Centres’ 10-year strategies set the stage for a lively and insightful panel debate. This discussion, hosted by Dr Sanna Rimpiläinen , Head of Research & Skills at DHI, delved into the impact of digital transformation on the health and social care workforce, focusing on the evolving skills and capabilities required. The panel featured representatives from both the health and social care sectors and regional further and higher education institutions. A recording of the presentations and the panel debate will be available soon. During lunch, attendees had the opportunity to network and tour the college’s Digital Care Hub. The afternoon sessions included breakout discussions dedicated to each of the four innovation centres, exploring their specific areas of interest. Additionally, the college hosted a VR Dementia workshop, offering a hands-on experience of innovative care solutions. The day concluded with a fireside chat featuring representatives from Edinburgh City Chambers , Skills Development Scotland , and Edinburgh College. This reflective session focused on the day’s learnings and the future of innovation and skills development in the East of Scotland. This event was the first of four regional Innovation Centres’ Roadshow events planned over the next 9-12 months. Each IC will lead one regional event, focusing on their respective domains. The next event will be organised by Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST) in the South, followed by the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) in the West, and The Data Lab in the North. Stay tuned for dates, times, and locations!

A digital inclusion day was held at UHI Moray on Saturday the 26th of October by the ‘We are Digital: Moray’ group, of which the Rural Centre for Excellence (RCE) is a main partner along with Moray Council and the Third Sector. The key aim of the day was to showcase the range of digital opportunities available locally and introduce people to the positive benefits digital can bring to everyday life. As part of the event, Angela Bruce and Sonya Lizbeth-Joseph, design researchers from the RCE, partnered with Dr Tara French, Digital Inclusion and Design Lead for Scottish Government, to design a pop-up engagement on the use of digital technology to support health and wellbeing. Through the interactive pop-up titled ‘What ‘Digi’ think?’, researchers invited people living in Moray to share their thoughts on: their attitudes towards digital; where they would go for support with digital in Moray; and how can the people of Moray be supported to use digital as part of their health and wellbeing in the future. The pop-up event was a notable success with approximately 40 people contributing, bringing valuable insights from community members on digital challenges and needs. It created a space for open dialogue, allowing participants to voice their concerns and ideas, which will help in shaping future digital support and infrastructure tailored to the community’s needs. The engagement level demonstrated a clear interest in improving digital literacy, infrastructure, and safety, marking the event as a meaningful step towards community-centred digital inclusion. For more information on the RCE activity in Moray please contact: marie.simpson@dhi-scotland.com For more information about We are Digital please contact:  getdigital@moray.gov .uk

Janette Hughes, UKTIN Health and Social Care Working Group Chair, Director of Planning and Performance, Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre Glasgow Few sectors, if any, have been subject to as much sweeping change – and strain – as health and social care. The recent report by Lord Darzi into the NHS in England found that the health service is in “critical condition” and needs urgent reform in order to survive. Central to the report is the need to shift care to the left – away from hospitals and into home and community settings. Embracing technology also features strongly, with Darzi highlighting how the NHS needs to undertake a major tilt towards technology to unlock productivity. In particular, Darzi points out how the hundreds of thousands of NHS staff working outside hospitals urgently need the benefits of digital systems, and how there is enormous potential in AI to transform care. Despite significant progress in the NHS’s digital transformation, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lack of digitisation and connectivity still exists within the sector and is far from the only challenge it faces. The UK’s ageing population and rises in complex comorbidities mean more than 70% of the NHS budget has been used for long-term condition management. In social care too, demand for services is increasing, along with pressures on budgets and significant concerns around recruitment and digital skills. Enabling more inclusive, accessible care Technology can play a significant role in tackling these challenges, and helping facilitate more inclusive, accessible care for all. Key to enabling this are robust, secure advanced connectivity solutions, such as 5G. 5G’s increased bandwidth and reduced latency supports multiple technologies and services at the same time, over the same network. For the NHS, video streaming and the sharing of medical imagery in real-time enables long distance consultations, training, collaboration and support – driving efficiency, reducing costs and pollution associated with travel, and ensuring patients are seen in a timely and equitable manner, in an environment that suits them best. Advanced connectivity solutions can also help the NHS improve its estate management, with the health service accounting for about 40% of all public sector emissions in the UK. Leveraging 4G and 5G to deploy energy monitoring sensors, occupancy sensors and smart lighting can help the NHS better manage and significantly reduce its power consumption, in turn helping optimise its energy usage and cut costs accordingly. In social care, 4G and 5G connectivity supports sensors that can be used by care workers to monitor wellbeing and health in the community for both patients, carers and the vulnerable. This ensures essential services can not only continue as 2G, 3G and analogue connectivity is phased out, but also be expanded to support medication adherence, predictive monitoring and tools to tackle social isolation and loneliness. Overall, advanced connectivity solutions will support a broad-scale health and social care service innovation, as services shift from treatment settings towards a more distributed, preventative-focused model of care. Increasing connectivity for all 5G is a dynamic, scalable network platform that adds connectivity to health and social care networks, easily connecting complex sites, third-party organisations and remote medical and care workers, while providing the reliable connectivity required for telehealth and telecare services. 5G also enables essential integration and cross-department interoperability, connecting small and medium-sized private providers and the interwoven layers of specialisms that make up the NHS and social care. Furthermore, some health and social care applications, such as monitoring in the home, need service-level agreements that would be cost prohibitive or unavailable under commercial agreements. Deploying private 4G or 5G networks, either within hospital settings or communities, can make services accessible to all, and offer a more affordable alternative to high bandwidth charges over commercial networks. Such an approach has been pioneered by Liverpool 5G which deployed a 5G network in Kensington, one of the most socially deprived parts of the city. The real world impact of joined-up digital healthcare One example of just how important connectivity is in enabling a shift from reactive to preventative care can be seen in Plymouth, where Plymouth Community Homes, Plymouth’s largest social housing landlord, is working closely with integrated health and social care specialists at Livewell Southwest, and the Centre for Health Technology, to develop the UK’s largest community living lab. The living lab setup brings together industry, academia, health and social care, and citizens and local authorities, funded by Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration program. In doing so, it lets them explore not just tech propositions and how they might work in theory, but how these ideas actually fare when rolled out in the real world and whether they are ready for adoption and scale. These tech propositions include sensors, which can be used to tell if a dementia patient has been trying to leave the house in the middle of the night; wearables, which can detect if a person has fallen; and electricity usage data, which could show for example whether an older resident hasn’t been using their fridge or oven as often as they might usually, which could be a sign of reduced appetite, and something worth checking on. Such technologies, powered by connectivity solutions, are helping people stay safer, happier and more independent, as well as reduce the burden on stretched carers, supporting them to work smarter and enabling the delivery of person-centred care when it’s needed, even in the face of staff shortages. With the help of advanced connectivity, this new generation of solutions can help safeguard our existing social care services and build on the critical work already being done by the sector. Article: https://www.healthtechdigital.com/the-crucial-role-of-advanced-connectivity-in-health-and-social-care/

On Wednesday 30th October, bachelor’s students from Years 2 and 3 of the School of Innovation and Technology at Glasgow School of Art began an elective on Digital Health and Care, focusing on person-centred digital care records, and building on design research and co-design undertaken by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI). This elective invites students to explore how digital records can be tailored to three specific health and care contexts to meet the needs of: people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), care-experienced young people, and people living with frailty.    Supported by DHI’s design team, students will develop insights, take a critical lens to the topic, and explore innovative approaches to concepts surrounding digital care records. Their design proposals and outputs will be showcased in an exhibition at the Innovo building on Friday, 13th December, from 10:00 to 12:30. This event is a fantastic opportunity for the students to present their speculative designs and for attendees to engage with fresh perspectives on digital care records.   More information about the School of Innovation and Technology at Glasgow School of Art, including the upcoming open day, can be found  here .

DHI is delighted to contribute to this new special report examining the digital healthcare landscape in Scotland. In this special report HTN examines the landscape of digital healthcare in Scotland now at present and for the future, as well as speaking to representatives from the Scottish Government, NHS National Services Scotland and Scotland’s Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, to hear their views on projects and priorities. The report covers: Key focuses for Scotland: Jonathan Cameron, deputy director for digital health and care at The Scottish Government Insight from InterSystems:  Colin Henderson , country manager for UK and Ireland at InterSystems UKI How Scotland is using data for healthcare:   Albert King , chief data officer at NHS National Services Scotland NHS Scotland digital transformation  – right data, right people, right place: Identity and access management Imprivata The innovation landscape in Scotland:   Grant Reilly FCIM , Head of Communications & Marketing at Scotland’s Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre Digital Healthcare Innovation in Scotland: To find out more about digital healthcare in Scotland from an innovation perspective, we spoke with Grant Reilly, Head of Communications & Marketing at Scotland’s Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI). The centre is a world-leading collaboration between the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Strathclyde, funded by the Scottish Funding Council and the Scottish Government. With a vision of using research and innovation in digital health and social care to create sustainable services, develop future skills and positively impact people’s lives and health outcomes, DHI works with industry, health and social care providers, academia, the public sector and citizens to create collaborations and co-design person-centred solutions. Additionally, the centre undertakes its own research, facilitates international knowledge exchange and publishes academic outputs to support healthcare wherever it can. Grant shared some of the main programmes DHI has been involved with, including SCOTCAP – the use of video capsule technology, which patients can swallow to reduce the need for invasive colonoscopy procedures: “This particularly helps people in rural communities as they travel long distances to undergo an uncomfortable and stressful procedure. By identifying people who could benefit most from this non-invasive approach, delivered in the local community, we wanted to explore whether we could speed up diagnosis, reduce the need for further invasive investigations and of course remove the need for that travel “In this case, the camera pill technology was already there; working with a German company trialling this technology for the investigation of large bowel disease in Denmark, we identified a research team based in Inverness that was keen to transform how patients could benefit from this innovative approach. This involved the need for careful research into clinical safety and effectiveness of the investigation, but equally importantly developing an efficient service delivery model for the delivery of a community-based service that was acceptable to patients and clinicians alike. There was also a need to develop a business model that demonstrated that this approach was affordable, but that it could actually reduce the cost of the investigation and reduce the negative impact on the environment from less use of chemicals, plastics and other items needed to deliver the more invasive hospital service. We did lots of trial work up in the Highlands with remote communities to prove that it worked, and it has now been adopted and scaled across Scotland. "Other reported benefits include enabling early and effective screening in the community; reducing the total cost of gastrointestinal diagnostics; and avoiding unnecessary referrals for outpatient appointments. We’re now looking at how we can use AI to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and speed up the delivery of results for the patients,” Grant shared. DHI has a research team in place, carrying out international research on behalf of project partners; and facilitates Scotland’s innovation clusters, with a focus at present on healthy ageing and digital mental health. New clusters planned for the future include diabetes and women’s health. When it comes to the impact of DHI’s work on staff, Grant said: “We’ve developed digital tools that have supported health and social care staff at all levels in decision-making by providing decision support services – for example, dose calculators for specialist medicines, as well as instant access to national clinical guidelines and triage and assessment tools.” For patients, he reflected that the benefits are widespread; SCOTCAP, as an example, brings many direct benefits to patients from reduced travel to reduced stress and discomfort . “We’ve also provided products for the general public to support them in making better-informed choices with regards to their own health,” he added. “We’re very citizen-focused at DHI; everything comes back to the question of how we can support patient outcomes or experience.” On data, Grant shared that DHI is currently working on a new approach that will aim to ensure people have access to their data and information, including “grey area data” such as insights from fitness, sleep or nutrition tracking apps that the citizen may be using themselves; but may not see themselves as in control of their data. “By blending health and care data with personal data provided by the person and their families, we can better personalise services to meet their individual needs,” . Grant said. “There’s a lot of value in that data, and we want to empower patients by better utilising it. So that’s a focus for us going forward.” On the topic of the future, Grant shared that DHI has recently been funded for a further 10 years and has developed a strategy with seven key strategic priority areas. These include supporting the transformation of health and social care; developing a digital infrastructure as national assets to de-risk innovation; enhancing Scotland’s connected ecosystem through cross-sectoral innovation clusters; developing a future skills pipeline to deliver workforce capabilities for Scotland’s future; extending commercial engagement to support economic growth; supporting health and care contribution towards net zero; and enhancing Scotland’s international reputation when it comes to research and innovation. “Ultimately, we are bringing together the capabilities that new digital technologies can bring, with the real everyday challenges being experienced by the people of Scotland,” Grant concluded, “along with those tasked with managing and delivering services. We’re focused on designing, developing and deploying new products and services that can empower and activate people to make better-informed health and wellbeing choices, and we are focusing on prevention and keeping people healthy and happy at home and in their communities.” Further reading The full article can be found here: https://htn.co.uk/2024/10/14/digital-healthcare-in-scotland-news-strategies-insights-and-more/

Interface Press Release - 10th October, 2024  Scotland’s premier knowledge exchange awards launch today, celebrating 10 years of exceptional, inspiring and ground-breaking business-academic people and partnerships. The awards will be the biggest yet with two new categories, bringing the total number of categories to 10. We’re excited to reconnect with past winners in the lead-up to the awards, sharing spotlights on their journeys and celebrating how they continue to drive innovation forward. Business Minister, Richard Lochhead, said: “Supported by the Scottish Government, Interface plays an important role connecting businesses to the expertise of our world leading academic institutions, helping drive economic growth. These annual awards, commendably in their 10th year, are an opportunity to highlight important success stories and put the spotlight on Scotland’s entrepreneurial and research excellence.” Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, which organises the annual awards, said: “This is a significant year for the awards, and we are planning a special celebration in March. The introduction of two new categories, Place-based Impact and Inward Investment Impact, reflects the growing range of collaborations between businesses and academia. We are pleased with how the awards are evolving, firmly establishing themselves as a valued platform for celebrating knowledge exchange. I encourage everyone from both business and academia to enter." The 10 awards categories are: ·       Innovation of the Year – sponsored by HGF Limited ·       Innovator of the Future ·       Inward Investment Impact – sponsored by International Social Enterprise Observatory ·       Knowledge Exchange Champion – sponsored by PraxisAuril ·       Knowledge Exchange Heroes – one for team, one for individual ·       Making a Social Difference ·       Making an Environmental Difference  ·       Multiparty Collaboration ·       Place-based Impact ·       Powerful Partnership - Skillfluence The deadline for applications is 5pm, Thursday 12th December, 2024. The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards will take place in March 2025. Click here for our helpful entry toolkit  and application forms .   Ends

Full-Time Permanent Band 4 Post Job Opportunity with Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES)   Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES) is an Innovation Hub set up by the Scottish Government Chief Scientists’ Office which forms part of a national network created to deliver the Government’s vision to utilise the innovation process to deliver a healthier and wealthier nation for the future.   Formed through a collaboration of three NHS Boards— Borders, Fife, and Lothian, with the latter taking on the role of lead host Board, HISES has a pivotal role in delivering innovative solutions to the health and social challenges, both regionally and nationally.   Hosted by NHS Lothian on behalf of the East of Scotland Region, this exciting full-time opportunity will involve you in providing a key administrative project support role for the South East Innovation Hub to deliver transformational and innovative change in the provision of health and care services, working collaboratively with colleagues across the public sector, academia, the third sector and Scottish based life science industries.   We are looking for a highly motivated, experienced, and enthusiastic administrator to take on this key support role in HISES. You should have HNC/HND in Business/Office Administration or equivalent experience in an office environment, proficient use in software systems particularly across the MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Publisher, Teams) and experience in website editing using an online Content Management System.   The post holder will be a part of the core regional team based in NHS Lothian and will support the regional innovation programme.   Reporting to the Senior Innovation Programme Manager, you will provide direct support to that role as well as the wider HISES Team.   The post requires experience and awareness of service delivery in the NHS and with that the ability to work with a broad range of staff, combined with effective interpersonal and communication skills.   More information on the HISES structure and up-to-date team developments can be found on our website NHS Health Innovation South East Scotland | Welcome ( edinburghbioquarter.com )   Application closing date: 16/10/2024 Interviews will be held in November 2024   Apply here: NHS Scotland | Jobs | Search here for your perfect career - Job Information | Apply for 198158 Innovation Project Support Officer (KA) Informal enquiries: Samantha Smith-Garrett, Senior Innovation Programme Manager: samantha.smith9@nhs.scot Details: NHS Lothian - Innovation Project Support Officer, South East Innovation Hub   Located in Edinburgh/Hybrid

Open Day for all ages - Explore the Future of Digital - 26 October 2024   We Are Digital (Moray’s Digital Inclusion working group) is hosting an open day to showcase supports and services in relation to digital connectivity, creativity, health & wellbeing and career paths. If you are a tech enthusiast, aspiring musician or just curious about the digital world, come along and explore the future of digital in Moray. Date: Sat 26th October - 10 am - 2 pm   Location: UHI Moray - conference room #WeAreDigitalMoray   Contact getdigital@moray.gov.uk for any questions!

In October, Moray College, in collaboration with DHI and local health and care partners, will launch a new short online module titled "Digital Essentials for Carers." This course is designed to empower those who provide care in Moray—whether paid, unpaid, or volunteer—with the digital skills needed to enhance their caregiving. The module consists of four short units that focus on the rapidly evolving role of technology in health and care, offering practical insights into how digital tools can improve the quality of care delivery. By completing this course, learners will not only boost their confidence in using digital solutions but also gain a deeper understanding of the impact and benefits of digital health and care. As learners progress through the course, they can earn digital badges for each completed unit and will receive a digital certificate upon finishing the entire course. These micro-credentials serve as a testament to the learner's enhanced skills and knowledge in digital caregiving. To celebrate the launch of this course, DHI and the Moray College team are inviting everyone interesting in enrolling – or finding out more about the course - to attend an informal event on Friday 25th October in Moray College in Elgin. For more information , please contact Jennifer Thomas ( jennifer.thomas@dhi-scotland.com ).

Scotland is committed to improving health outcomes for women in Scotland. Women face health inequalities and in some cases disadvantages because they are women. Author: Scottish Enterprise Women account for 51% of Scotland’s population. Research shows that women in the most affluent areas in Scotland experience 25.1 more years of good health compared to the most deprived areas. Heart disease is a leading cause of maternal death in the UK. The British Heart Foundation, Bias and Biology Report found that there are inequalities in the way women with heart attacks are diagnosed, treated and cared for afterwards compared with men, costing lives. Better health is correlated with economic prosperity so improving women’s health has potential benefits to the economy. There are opportunities for companies in Scotland to address the challenges in women’s health with breakthrough technology and collaborations to make health more equitable and inclusive. The Scottish Government’s Women's Health Plan: A plan for 2021-2024 and its 2023 Progress Report marks the first stage of a long-term commitment to reducing health inequalities for women. The plan sets out a specific focus on priority areas. Menopause, endometriosis, access to information, termination, and contraception services, and reducing inequalities for women’s general health, with specific work on cardiac disease. The ambition is for a holistic, inclusive approach responsive to individual needs and choices. Market Size: It is difficult to source an up-to-date total market size for Women’s Health in Scotland or the UK. This is made challenging due to the broad spectrum of services and treatments it covers. The McKinsey Health Institute estimate the global market could be worth $1 trillion. Closing the women’s health gap: A $1 trillion opportunity to improve lives and economies McKinsey. Women in the UK are living longer. Life expectancy at birth for women in the UK in 2022 was 90.4 years for females. However healthy life expectancy, the average number of years a person will live in general good health is 63.6 years for females. Major markets in Women’s Health include: Menopause, and menstrual health including endometriosis. Around 5.1 million women in the UK aged between 45 and 55 years, a large range of women are potentially menopausal (Source: ONS population estimates for mid-2019) In Scotland, around 400,000 women in Scotland are of menopausal age and over a third of the female workforce is over 50 It is estimated that endometriosis affects 1.5 million (1 in 10) women in the UK of reproductive age, and it takes an average of 8.5 years to diagnose Sexual and Reproductive Health Pre-eclampsia affects around 1 in 10 pregnancies and has been linked with a greater risk of heart disease in the future Heart health and chronic ill health Almost 1 in 10 deaths in women in Scotland each year are caused by ischaemic heart disease. It is estimated that there are currently 300,000 people in Scotland living with osteoporosis, a condition which is more common in women than men BHF Bias and Biology Briefing Opportunities The evolving Women’s Health sector has opportunities for: Supply chain and manufacturing Medical tech and digital tech Life sciences and human health companies to diversify with products and services that focus on women’s health needs Solutions which improve diagnostic support for women with cardiovascular disease Women-centred research, development, and innovation. Women have been historically underrepresented in clinical research including cardiovascular trials Products and services that redress inequalities Key Buyers Key buyers for the women’s health sector include: The NHS - Hospitals and clinics Private sector hospitals and clinics  Local authorities and other public sector organisations. Social care providers Commercial specialist health care providers. The third sector – not-for-profit organisations and non-governmental bodies Employers - Companies are increasingly recognising the importance of supporting women’s health in the workplace  Insurance Companies :  Health insurers are increasingly covering ‘Femtech solutions’ as part of their plans recognising the importance of preventive care and personalised health management for women. Government and Public Health Organisations: Governments and public health bodies invest in women’s health technologies to improve public health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Companies Scottish Industry Directories  has a life and chemical sciences directory for Scotland including digital health, medical devices and diagnostics, and precision medicine ABHI  Association for Health Tech community. UK BioIndustry Association  has a searchable company directory. The Research Service can also source lists of companies - Contact us at: research@scotent.co.uk External Funding & Sector Support Scottish Enterprise’s funding database  lists the latest UK and worldwide funding calls Scaling innovation for business growth  offers funding opportunities and support to future industries looking to innovate and scale Find business support in Scotland  is a source of funding, events, training, and programmes   Life Sciences in Scotland  publishes information on funding, news, and events in the sector The BHF Healthcare Innovation Fund    Scotland Innovates  is a portal for suppliers and citizens to submit proposals for innovative goods and services to the Scottish public sector, with Innovators directed to appropriate guidance and support. It also includes details of Small Business Research Initiatives (SBRI) and support available through the Chief Scientist Office Research Support The Research Service provides free market research and company information to businesses in Scotland. Latest reports relating to Women’s Health and Femtech that the Research team at research@scotent.co.uk  can help you access include: Frost and Sullivan Growth Opportunity Outlook in the Women’s Health Industry 2023 Technavio Global Women’s Health Diagnostics Market 2024-2028 Technavio Global Endometriosis Drugs Market 2021-2025 Femtech Economic Opportunity for Scotland 2023 Research study | Scottish Enterprise ( Scottish-enterprise.com ) GlobalData Thematic Intelligence: Femtech 2023 GlobalData Menopausal Disorders: Competitive Landscape 2023 Mintel Women’s Health UK 2023 Mintel Family Planning and Pregnancy UK 2023 This report was created by Scottish Enterprise. For more information, please visit: https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/

NextGen Technology Enabled Care Sensor Solutions for Assisted Living Overview As our population ages and the demand for high-quality care grows, there is a need to explore how services can be delivered differently. With the Openreach announcement that all analogue phone lines will be replaced with digital by January 2027, there is a significant opportunity to transform how telecare services are delivered and to move to a broader Technology Enabled Care (TEC) service. Traditional telecare solutions often focus on reactive measures - responding to emergencies or health crises after they occur. However, with advancements in IoT and sensor technologies, there is now the potential to create more proactive, person-centred solutions that enhance the quality of life for individuals living independently and support the services providing health and care. This challenge seeks to harness innovative technologies that empower individuals to manage their health more effectively, maintain independence, and live safely in their own homes. We are calling on innovators to reimagine telecare—making it more proactive, predictive, personalised, and integrated into the daily lives of those who rely on these services. One aspect of our work is to develop a specification of devices across all TEC domains for integration into a procured digital platform.  Following development and testing, these solutions will be tested in a real work environment and evaluated to demonstrate the benefits to users and services of adopting a highly personalised TEC pathway. Why This Challenge Matters TEC is at the heart of independent assisted living, offering a safety net for individuals who wish to maintain autonomy while receiving the care and support they need. However, the current landscape presents several challenges: Proactivity:  Most existing systems are reactive, only intervening when a crisis occurs. There is a critical need for solutions that can anticipate issues before they arise, offering timely interventions that prevent emergencies and enhance well-being. Personalisation:  Every individual has unique needs. Solutions must move beyond one-size-fits-all approaches, delivering insights, support and care that is tailored to the specific circumstances, preferences, and health conditions of each person. Integration:  For TEC to be truly effective, it needs to be seamlessly integrated into the fabric of daily life, utilising interoperable smart home technologies, AI, and sensors/IoT devices that work together to provide comprehensive insights and support. By addressing these areas, this challenge aims to push the boundaries of what TEC can achieve, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes, improved quality of life, and greater independence for those who need it most, while supporting statutory services to direct their finite resources where and when they are needed most. What We Are Looking For We are interested in groundbreaking ideas, technologies, solutions or approaches that address one or more of the challenges described above. If your organisation has a solution to some or all of the challenge areas please submit a RapidPitch. If you think your solution addresses another aspect of telecare/telehealth/ambient assisted living/smart housing but has not been listed above, then this may also be of interest. We are particularly interested in device solutions that are standalone or generate data that can be integrated into our partner’s digital platform and  address the following areas: Remote Health Monitoring:  Technologies that allow for continuous monitoring of health parameters (e.g. heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels) Fall Detection and Prevention:  Advanced sensor systems capable of detecting falls, and predicting potential falls (e.g. through gait analysis) Emergency Response Systems:  Solutions that provide immediate assistance in emergencies, such as wearable devices with panic buttons, and voice-activated alarms. Ambient Activity Monitoring:  Devices that can gather ongoing personalised data related to functional activity and or environment monitoring (e.g. kitchen device activity, movement patterns/routines, toilet flushing, property humidity or temperature etc) Activity Prompting:   Devices which can prompt or remind users to carry out a task (e.g. medication, appointments, routines etc) Smart Home Automation for Assisted Living:  IoT devices that adapt home environments to individual needs, such as automated lighting, temperature control, and door locking systems that ensure safety and ease of use for elderly or disabled residents. Ambient Psychological Monitoring:  Facial recognition technologies which monitor mood, anxiety, pain etc In all cases, please describe what standards your solution meets and whether your solution integrates with existing platforms or has the capability to do so. Why Participate? Showcase Your Solution:  Selected innovators will be invited to demo their technologies to a smart housing working group which includes health and care professionals and citizens for considered inclusion in a TEC specification being developed. Collaborate with Experts:  Gain feedback and insights from leading professionals in the field, and explore opportunities for partnerships or pilot projects within our Living Labs. Shape the Future of Independent Living:  Be a part of the movement that is redefining how technology can empower individuals to live independently, safely, and with dignity. Please note that this competition is strictly for market review and assessment purposes. Participation does not include any monetary compensation, and there is no commitment to make any purchases based on the pitches presented. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to gain valuable feedback, increase visibility, and explore potential collaborations within the market. How to Respond Submit your challenge response through this form . We will accept submissions on a rolling basis until we have selected potential solutions for inclusion in our living lab activities. Demo Days Selected participants will be invited to present their solutions to partners either in person in Moray or online.   FAQs Can I submit supporting documents (for example a video) as part of my application? You will have the opportunity to submit supporting materials such as non-confidential slide decks, research papers, and videos as part of your application. You may submit a video along with your typed responses. Please be mindful of duration, suggested no more than 5 minutes. Please make sure that you do not submit any information that is non-proprietary or owned by a third party. Can I submit confidential information? Only non-confidential information should be submitted and anything you submit will be treated as non-confidential. What happens with IP (Intellectual Property)? As this is a no strings attached arrangement, DHI does not acquire any IP. We are interested in identifying solutions and understanding the current art of the possible. What are the specific criteria? Your solution should be in existence, i.e. on the market, or in testing, and manifestable as a minimum viable product (MVP). What types of ideas are you interested in? Submissions should have a path to commercialisation. While ideas can be early stage, we are not looking for research projects that are not pursuing a viable potential solution.

Emerging technologies - how do we take advantage? Join us on Friday 20 September 2024 to listen to a panel of experts presenting VR and how it is being used and tested in practice. The webinar is organised as a collaboration between the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, the Scottish Government, and the University of Agder in Norway. The webinar occurs at 12-2 pm CET time (11 am-1 pm UK time) . During this event, our panel of experts will present key findings and recommendations for discussion. About: New technologies are reshaping health and care, offering new opportunities for transformation. Virtual reality (VR), in particular, is gaining traction for its practical applications in healthcare, from enhancing patient treatment and rehabilitation to advancing medical training and research. Agenda: Time Duration Item Who 1200 5 min Welcome and introduction Chair - Santiago Gil Martinez, Ass. professor, Centre for e-health, UiA 1205 25 min Virtual Reality Training in Social Care Sofie Wass, Associate professor, Dep. of information systems, UiA 1230 25 min VR-simulation for training of health care personnel at Southern hospital trust Steinar Omnes, Innovation manager, Southern Hospital Trust, Norway 1255 20 min Care Reality - A new reality for learning Stephen Honnan, Unity Developer and Cloud Engineer at Care Reality, UK 1315 20 min Young People Save Lives - Virtual Reality Project Angela Harkness , Scottish Ambulance Service 1335 15 min Q&A and panel discussion All 1350 10min Final comments from the chair Santiago Gil Martinez Webinar Joining Details: Zoom meeting with registration Meeting ID: 699 8511 3235 Join on your computer, mobile app or room device Register below:

Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London has opened applications for the second cohort of the Accelerating FemTech programme! Funded by Innovate UK and the Medical Research Council, this national programme helps early-stage companies, university spinouts and entrepreneurial-minded academics focused on women’s health to gain commercial and funding momentum they need for long-term success. Accelerating FemTech offers bespoke support, targeted workshops, and mentoring to enhance product development, entrepreneurship skills and stakeholder engagement across the NHS and academia. The programme will also support participants in preparing for a special closed-call feasibility funding opportunity through the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst, delivered alongside a collaborative learning programme and facilitated networking with key NHS and health sector stakeholders. Abigail Lyons , Senior Business Innovation Manager at Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, said: “Scotland’s Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) is delighted to partner with the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London in the delivery of this exciting Innovate UK-funded FemTech Accelerator, helping companies to develop customer-focused solutions that address unmet needs in women’s healthcare.” Katherine Church, Women's Health Practice Director at SmartCo Consulting (Accelerating FemTech Advisory Panel Member) said: “Accelerating FemTech brings together industry, clinicians, patients and the NHS and will wrap your fantastic innovation in commercial, strategic and technical expertise, taking it to the next level. You'll also be one of a very small number of companies eligible to apply for a special closed-call feasibility funding opportunity through the Biomedical Catalyst." Applications open on Monday 9 September 2024 and close at midnight on Sunday 13 October 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity to shape the future of women's health. Apply now: https://healthinnovationnetwork.com/projects/accelerating-femtech/ Join the 101 Webinar to engage with members of the programme delivery team directly: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/949640770107?aff=oddtdtcreator Frequently asked questions can be found at: https://healthinnovationnetwork.com/accelerating-femtech-faqs/ The application form can be found at: https://healthinnovationhub.smapply.io/prog/2024_accelerating_femtech_programme/

Introduction The mental health landscape in Scotland is changing, with new resources and service providers seeking to bring a range of interventions into the space that seek to provide more creative options for individuals to support their own mental health and wellbeing that harness the power of new and emerging digital technologies. In addition, there are currently a number of funding routes (e.g. Community Mental Health Supports and Services grant to all 32 local authorities) available to support local authorities to think differently about how they can meet the mental health needs of their populations.   Local authorities are bureaucratic organisations however, and there are a number of issues that new providers need to be aware of when seeking to work within this space.   Context is everything – although Scotland is a small nation, each local authority area has it’s own particular profile in terms of demographics, urban/rural geography etc which impact on the types of services that are required to meet the needs of their own populations. In addition, each local authority will have different approaches to contracts, finances etc which require navigating – e.g. in some local authorities, procurement is handled by a specialist team, in others it is devolved to services. There are pros and cons to each, but identifying which system is operating in a local authority you are approaching helps you understand who you need to speak to for different elements of the on-boarding process. Due diligence – part of the bureaucratic nature of local authorities is the amount of regulation that must be adhered to in relation to procurement law, GDPR compliance etc. These processes are often lengthy, requiring the co-ordination of a number of local authority officers across a number of teams (see point 1 above) and can significantly impact on the amount of time it takes to get a product to launch. Failure to adhere to these processes can however have significant consequences, so it’s important to make sure that time and effort is built in to navigate them effectively. Communications & marketing – Dr Chris Wright, Scottish Government’s Advisor in Digital Mental Health, has stated that ‘you spend 25% of your time getting a product operational, and 75% of your time telling people about it.’ This may seem like an exaggeration, but services (particularly those that are universally accessible) are only as good as eligible users awareness of them, so finding ways to support local authorities with an effective communication and marketing plan is key to driving uptake and engagement. Most local authorities have, at best, a limited amount of support from a PR/Comms team, whose responsibilities generally cover the whole range of local authority functions, so ‘in house’ support is limited. Providing a range of ‘off the shelf’ assets and materials that can be easily shared is key, alongside, if possible, face to face engagement sessions with key members of the target population to increase awareness and boost usage figures. Partnership working – spend time getting to know who your key contacts are within a Local Authority and developing your relationship with them to understand what their particular needs and requirements are. Where possible, personalise your approach/offer to meet these specific needs, including in relation to data, recording and reporting.     Conclusion Scottish Local Authorities offer diverse and unique opportunities to develop new and innovative approaches to supporting mental health and wellbeing across the population. Understanding this diversity, both within the population and within the organisational landscape of each Local Authority, is key to building new, effective and sustainable partnerships for the benefit of Scotland’s population.   Lesley Taylor Principal Educational Psychologist, Clackmannanshire Council

NHS Education for Scotland is delivering a series of learning events building on the success of the previous Remote & Rural Series of Learning Events. These events will now run as the  National Centre for Remote & Rural Health & Care Series of Learning Events and will continue to support remote, rural & island communities throughout Scotland. Below you will find a list of sessions available from September 2024 .  Further sessions will be added in due course.  Sessions will run online via MS Teams and will focus on primary and community care and will be relevant to a wide range of audiences including NES staff to support hybrid/remote working and continuous professional development.  Some sessions will also be relevant to community members. If you are interested in attending, please click on the ‘ click here to register ’ link in the table below which will take you to a registration form where you will require to complete your details.  You can find more information on the National Centre for Remote & Rural Health & Care Series of Learning events by visiting the Turas page National Centre for Remote & Rural Health & Care Series of Learning Events | Turas | Learn ( nhs.scot ) .  More sessions are being arranged so please revisit this page regularly for updates. Session Title Date Time Registration Link Supervision for Advanced Practice Tuesday 3 September 2024 1.00pm – 2.00pm Click here to Register   Escape from Information Overload Wednesday 18 September 2024 2.00pm – 4.00pm Click here to Register   When Why and How to use Near Me in Primary Care Wednesday 2 October 2024 2.00pm – 3.00pm Click here to Register The Spider in the Glass (Myra Ross) Wednesday 30 October 2024 2.00pm – 4.00pm Click here to Register Managing Type 2 Diabetes in Group Consultation - Kelso Medical Practice Pilot Project Tuesday 26 November 2024            1.00pm – 2.00pm Click here to Register If you require any further information, please contact nes.ruralteam@nhs.scot