New partnerships with South Lanarkshire Council and All In Glasgow Commonwealth Games create exciting opportunities for young people to tackle real-world health and wellbeing challenges through innovation The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) is delighted to announce the launch of the 2026 #DigiInventors Secondary School Challenge, inviting young people across Scotland and the UAE to develop innovative digital solutions that address real-world health, wellbeing and social care challenges. Now in its latest edition, #DigiInventors continues to inspire and empower young people aged 8-18 to become the innovators, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers of the future. The DHI-led programme supports participants in building valuable digital, STEM, design innovation, entrepreneurial, and future workforce skills while tackling issues that matter to them, their families, and communities. The programme has already engaged thousands of young people and schools across Scotland and internationally. This year's Secondary School Challenge launches with several significant developments that strengthen collaboration between education, innovation, health and community partners. DHI and South Lanarkshire Council have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reinforcing a shared commitment to innovation, skills development and creating opportunities for young people. The partnership will support efforts to help young people develop future-focused skills and engage with emerging technologies that are shaping the future of health, wellbeing and public services. The 2026 challenge also welcomes All In Glasgow Commonwealth Games as a new partner. As part of its involvement, All In Glasgow Commonwealth Games has developed one of this year's challenge questions, creating a unique opportunity for young people to explore the connections between sport, technology, sustainability and wellbeing. The Secondary School Challenge encourages teams of students to identify a challenge, develop a solution and present their ideas through a structured innovation process. Along the way, participants gain access to learning resources, mentoring opportunities and valuable experience in design thinking, entrepreneurship and pitching ideas. This year, participants can choose from two innovation challenges. Challenge Question 1: Inspired by Sport, Powered by Innovation Developed in partnership with All In Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the first challenge asks students to choose one sport from the Commonwealth Youth Games Malta 2027 and use it as inspiration for a sustainable digital solution that improves the mental, social and/or physical wellbeing of young people. Students can draw inspiration from: Athletics and Para Athletics Netball Sailing Squash Swimming and Para Swimming Triathlon Water Polo Weightlifting Teams will be encouraged to think creatively about how digital technology can improve wellbeing outcomes while exploring the potential of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Solutions should also consider environmental, social and economic sustainability, support one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals and create a lasting legacy beyond Glasgow 2026. The challenge reflects the growing role that sport can play in inspiring innovation, encouraging healthier lifestyles and helping young people imagine new ways technology can support wellbeing in their communities. Challenge Question 2: Solving Health and Wellbeing Challenges The second challenge gives students the opportunity to identify a health or wellbeing issue affecting themselves, their families, friends or wider community and develop a digital solution to address it. Potential areas of focus include: Health and wellbeing Disabilities Cardiovascular disease Mental health Neurological conditions Gastrointestinal conditions Respiratory conditions Addictions Access to healthcare in rural, remote and island communities The open-ended nature of the challenge enables students to focus on issues they feel passionate about while applying creativity, technology and innovation to generate practical solutions. As digital health technologies, data-driven services, AI and emerging innovations continue to transform the way health and care services are delivered, programmes such as #DigiInventors provide vital opportunities for young people to engage with the challenges and opportunities shaping the future. Participants in the Secondary School Challenge will have the opportunity to work on real-world challenges, develop presentation and communication skills, engage with mentors and experts, and gain first-hand experience of innovation and entrepreneurship. The programme helps young people develop confidence, creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills while increasing awareness of future education and career pathways across health, technology and innovation sectors. Beyond the classroom, #DigiInventors is helping to strengthen future talent pipelines by encouraging young people from diverse backgrounds to explore opportunities in digital health, wellbeing and innovation. By connecting education, industry, local authorities and community partners, the programme supports broader ambitions around skills development, digital inclusion, innovation and sustainable economic growth. Grant Reilly, Head of Communications & Marketing at DHI and Programme Lead, said: “We’re now entering the 10th year of the #DigiInventors Challenge, and the programme continues to go from strength to strength. This year’s Challenge question builds on the excitement and legacy of Glasgow 2026, while encouraging young people to look ahead to the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games in Malta and think creatively about the role digital innovation can play in health, wellbeing and sport. Our new MoU with South Lanarkshire Council is another important milestone, recognising the value of the #DigiInventors Challenge in the classroom and the benefits of project-based, real-world learning. By giving young people the opportunity to tackle genuine challenges, develop new skills and bring their ideas to life, we can inspire the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.” Rhona James, Quality Improvement Manager, Curriculum and Quality Improvement Service, Education Resources, South Lanarkshire Council, said: "South Lanarkshire Council is delighted to support the #DigiInventors Challenge, providing our young people with an exciting opportunity to tackle real-world challenges through creativity and digital innovation. The programme supports the development of valuable skills including problem-solving, teamwork, confidence and digital literacy, while raising awareness of future STEM and digital career pathways. With the Secondary DigiInventors Challenge launching in August 2026 and the Primary DigiInventors Challenge following in January 2027, there are opportunities for young people across different stages to get involved. We encourage schools across South Lanarkshire to participate in the programme and provide their young people with the opportunity to develop their ideas, skills and creativity through this exciting challenge." The 2026 #DigiInventors Secondary School Challenge is open to secondary school students and schools across Scotland and the UAE. Teachers will receive access to supporting resources designed to help integrate the challenge into classroom learning while enabling students to explore innovation in a practical and engaging way. Find out more and register Schools, teachers and educators interested in taking part in the 2026 #DigiInventors Secondary School Challenge can find out more and register by visiting: https://www.dhi-scotland.com/digiinventors For enquiries and partnership opportunities, please contact: grant.reilly@dhi-scotland.com

Reflections from my first Interreg Europe Peer Review in North Brabant, Netherlands Blog from Grant Reilly, Head of Communications & Marketing at DHI There are moments in your career that remind you why international collaboration really matters. Representing Scotland’s Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), and working alongside colleagues from Spain, Sweden, Belgium and Germany at the recent Interreg Europe Peer Review in North Brabant, Netherlands, was both a privilege and a personal milestone. My first appointment as an Interreg Europe peer reviewer allowed me to share Scotland's experience on an international stage while learning from fellow experts tackling many of the same health and care challenges across Europe. The review explored a shared challenge: ‘how regions can create the right conditions for prevention-focused innovation to thrive, helping SMEs and startups develop solutions that keep people healthier for longer while reducing pressure on health and care systems'. It was also a timely reminder that although our health and care systems differ, many of the challenges we face are remarkably similar. Across Europe, ageing populations, rising levels of long-term conditions, workforce shortages and increasing demand for health and care services are forcing governments and regions to rethink how they invest in prevention rather than simply responding to illness. The question is no longer whether we need innovation, but how we create the conditions for good ideas to move beyond pilots and become part of everyday care. Scotland has a valuable story to tell I was invited to contribute DHI's experience of supporting prevention-focused SMEs and startups, drawing on more than 13 years of learning. DHI exists to connect citizens, academia, industry and the public sector to turn ideas into practical digital health and social care solutions. Our focus on prevention, early intervention, independent living and supported care at home has helped build an innovation ecosystem that many regions across Europe are increasingly interested in understanding. During the discussions, I shared that successful innovation is not about technology alone. Digital solutions only create impact when they are developed with citizens, embedded in services, supported by robust evidence and adopted at scale. Supporting SMEs requires far more than funding. They need access to expertise, test environments, independent evaluation, procurement and regulatory advice, partnerships, and clear routes into health and care systems. DHI helps innovators navigate that journey from concept to implementation. Another message that resonated strongly was the value of an independent organisation acting as an ecosystem orchestrator, fostering collaboration and reducing risk. Rather than creating new structures, regions can unlock greater value by connecting existing assets around shared priorities. It is an approach that has shaped DHI's work in Scotland and clearly resonated with colleagues across Europe. Different countries. The same challenges. One of the most valuable aspects of participating in peer reviews is discovering just how universal many of these issues are. Whether in Scotland, the Netherlands or elsewhere in Europe, the same questions surfaced repeatedly: How do we help innovative SMEs move beyond pilot projects? How do we develop sustainable business models for prevention? How do we demonstrate long-term value when benefits may take years to emerge? How do we bring together health and care providers, academia, businesses and citizens around shared priorities? While the answers differ, the challenges are strikingly familiar. For me, this reinforced an important lesson: innovation is rarely limited by a lack of good ideas. More often, it is constrained by fragmented systems, disconnected funding and unclear pathways to adoption. That is precisely why collaboration between regions is so valuable. Learning never stops One of the reasons I enjoy opportunities like this so much is simple: I love learning. Travelling to different countries and understanding how others approach similar challenges is one of the most rewarding parts of working in innovation. Every region has something to teach. Some excel at bringing universities and industry together; others have developed impressive approaches to community engagement, entrepreneurship or public policy. By sharing experiences openly, we all become better equipped to tackle the complex challenges facing health and care. Knowledge exchange works both ways. I hope DHI's experience offered useful insights for colleagues in North Brabant, just as I returned home with fresh ideas that will help shape DHI’s future work in Scotland. This first peer review reinforced something I have always believed: innovation accelerates when people are willing to listen as much as they share. Every conversation offered a new perspective, and every connection created the possibility of future collaboration. Looking ahead One message stood out throughout the peer review. Successful prevention is not created by isolated projects. It is created by connected systems where policy, funding, research, business support, citizens and health services work towards shared outcomes. That principle underpinned many of the recommendations discussed during the review and closely reflects DHI's own approach to innovation. Maintaining strong relationships with our European partners has become more important than ever because the challenges we are trying to solve do not recognise national borders. Programmes such as Interreg Europe allow Scotland to contribute to international conversations while continuing to learn from others, strengthening relationships that create opportunities for future collaboration. At DHI, international collaboration has long been part of our work. We contribute to a range of European and international initiatives, including EHTEL, Global Health Connector, All Policies for a Healthy Europe, Interreg and Peace PLUS programmes. Participating in peer reviews like this helps ensure Scotland continues to influence and benefit from emerging thinking across Europe. Scotland has developed significant expertise in digital health and care research and innovation while helping SMEs navigate complex health and care environments. Equally, there is much we can continue to learn from our European neighbours. I look forward to building on the relationships established in North Brabant and exploring new opportunities to collaborate with partners across the Netherlands and beyond. Because when regions learn from one another, everyone benefits, and together we can create healthier, wealthier, and more resilient communities across Europe.

Stay updated with news from DLS Digital Lifelines is heading into August with a packed diary of visits, workshops and community of practise sessions. We are very keen to share our progress with the many people who support and advocate for the work of DLS. To enable improved updates, we have reinstated the news section on the DLS website News | Digital Lifelines. Rather than asking you to sign up to ‘another’ newsletter we will regularly update on the DHI monthly newsletter and ‘tease’ new content loaded to the DLS site. This month on DLS, amongst other updates you will be able to read blogs from DLS partners SCVO and Simon Community and the start of implementation for our new ADPs. Aaron Slater from SCVO gives his reflections on the progress being made by Angus and East Ayrshire ADPs as they continue to imbed learning from the past year of DLS. Nigel Gallear from Simon Community highlights the insight he has collated in a new section of the website promoting re-use and refurbished devices and other cost effective solutions for ongoing support Digital Sustainability | Digital Lifelines In recent weeks the programme team has been visiting our newly funded ADPs in Aberdeenshire, Dundee and Moray. These initial ‘scouting’ visits have been very beneficial to the team to understand the context of where our partners are delivering their support. We will have more to share in September, including an exciting new collaboration emerging later this year.

The SAFE-XR (Safety Planning for Suicide Prevention XR) project continues to make strong progress as it moves into its next phase of user testing and product refinement. Over recent months, the project team has been working closely with partners across healthcare, education, research, and lived experience communities to further develop the immersive XR learning modules. Feedback gathered through earlier engagement activities has already helped shape improvements to usability, accessibility, learner confidence, and real-world relevance. Upcoming Focus Groups - August 2026 A key milestone for the project will be a new series of in-person focus groups taking place across three days at the University of Glasgow ARC-XR Lab in August 2026. The team is keen to hear from a wide range of participants, including: Educators and trainers Health and social care professionals Students and workforce learners People with lived experience Organisations interested in future implementation These sessions will provide an opportunity to experience the SAFE-XR modules, share feedback directly with the project team, and help shape the final stages of development ahead of the planned launch in January 2027. Interested in taking part? We are currently inviting expressions of interest from individuals and organisations who would like to participate in the upcoming focus groups. Register your interest here: SAFE-XR Focus Groups: Register Your Interest – Fill in form

Co-Designing a Shared Agenda for Innovation DHI is undertaking a new landscape review exploring how digital health and care can support Scotland’s net zero and sustainability ambitions. The project will map current activity, identify gaps and opportunities, and consider how digital innovation could contribute to lower-carbon, more resilient and equitable models of health and care. Achieving this requires collaboration across the whole system. Relevant knowledge and activity are distributed across health and social care, government, academia, housing, industry and the third sector, and no single organisation holds the complete picture. We are therefore holding a co-design workshop in Glasgow on Monday 14 September 2026, from 10am-3pm. Participants will work together to review and strengthen the emerging landscape, share activity and perspectives that may have been overlooked, identify connections and gaps, and shape a shared agenda for future research, innovation and action. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to build relationships and explore where new collaborations could turn shared priorities into practical activity. If this connects with your work, we would love you to join us. Register here: https://www.dhi-scotland.com/event-details/connecting-digital-health-care-and-net-zero-co-designing-a-shared-agenda-for-innovation Travel support may be available to help ensure representation from across Scotland.

Scotland's social care sector is not short of innovation. The challenge lies in making sure that digital innovation travels, scales and creates impact beyond the organisations and communities where it begins. Across the country, social care, social work and housing are developing new approaches, solving problems creatively and responding to the changing needs of the people and communities they support. Yet despite this innovation, many promising ideas struggle to move beyond local implementation. Valuable learning remains within individual organisations, successful pilots can be difficult to scale, and opportunities to share evidence and experience across the wider sector are often missed. This challenge has been highlighted consistently in recent work exploring social care innovation in Scotland. The Social Care Innovation in Scotland report highlighted that existing infrastructure does not sufficiently support innovation adoption and diffusion, while Digital Innovation in Social Care: Priorities and Opportunities for Scotland found that many innovations remain difficult to scale and sustain beyond local settings. Both reports point not to a lack of innovation, but to a lack of the connections, infrastructure and support needed to help innovation flourish across the system. At the heart of this challenge is knowledge exchange. While social care innovation is happening across Scotland, there remains a gap between where knowledge is created and where it is applied. Valuable learning generated through practice does not always influence research, and equally, research and innovation opportunities do not always reach the organisations that could benefit most from them. Recent work exploring social care innovation in Scotland has consistently highlighted the need for stronger engagement between social care, colleges and universities. The evidence points to an opportunity to build deeper partnerships that support knowledge exchange, strengthen evaluation, attract research investment and create new opportunities for innovation to travel beyond its original setting (Social Care Innovation in Scotland, Fraser of Allander Institute, 2023; Digital Innovation in Social Care: Priorities and Opportunities for Scotland, 2025). This recommendation is particularly important because universities have far more to offer than research outputs alone. Academic partners bring methodological rigour, independent evaluation, implementation expertise and access to interdisciplinary networks. They can help organisations understand not only whether something works, but why it works, how it might be improved, and whether it could be replicated successfully elsewhere. They can help turn promising ideas into evidence-informed innovations with the potential for broader adoption and scale. They can also act as a bridge between local, national and international learning, connecting social care organisations to innovations, evidence and approaches emerging in other sectors, countries and contexts. At the same time, social care brings something equally valuable to the partnership. Practitioners, providers, carers and people with lived experience hold a deep understanding of what matters in practice, the realities of implementation, and the complexities of supporting people in communities. Bringing these different forms of expertise together creates opportunities for stronger research, stronger innovation and ultimately greater impact. Importantly, stronger collaboration can also help address the difference between duplication of effort and replication of success. Repeatedly solving the same problems in isolation consumes valuable resources and slows progress. Replicating successful innovations in different contexts, however, is often essential for building confidence and evidence. Academic involvement can help distinguish between the two, providing the evaluation and learning needed to support wider adoption while reducing unnecessary repetition. There is also a compelling financial argument for strengthening these relationships. Social care continues to operate within a challenging financial environment and has historically received significantly less innovation investment than healthcare. At the same time, many promising projects struggle to move beyond pilot and testing phases because of short-term funding arrangements and limited opportunities to secure support for implementation and scale. Stronger links with academia can help address this challenge. Universities can provide access to research funding, collaborative networks, evaluation expertise and interdisciplinary partnerships that may otherwise be difficult for individual organisations to access. As funders such as NIHR and UKRI increasingly recognise the importance of prevention, community-based support and social care, there is an opportunity to ensure the sector is better connected to research and innovation funding opportunities that have historically been more visible within healthcare. Recognising these challenges, Digital Innovation in Social Care: Priorities and Opportunities for Scotland (2025) recommended the development of a dedicated innovation pathway for social care. Importantly, the report identified collaboration between policy, practice and academia as central to creating the conditions needed for innovation to move beyond pilots and into wider adoption. This is one of the reasons the emergence of the Digital Care Collaborative Scotland (DCCS) feels particularly timely. Established to create the conditions for sustainable innovation across social care, social work and housing, DCCS has begun bringing together stakeholders from practice, policy, academia, industry and lived experience to explore shared challenges and opportunities. Through webinars, workshops and collaborative activities, DCCS is beginning to act as a connector across a landscape that has historically been fragmented. Early activity has highlighted both a substantial appetite for stronger collaboration and a significant gap in the mechanisms available to bring the right people together. To learn more about what DCCS is doing to bring the sector together, take a look at our Delivery Plan and Position Paper. However, no single organisation can close this gap alone. Creating a stronger knowledge exchange ecosystem will require participation from social care organisations, universities, policymakers, funders, industry partners and communities themselves. It will require creating spaces where different forms of expertise can come together, where learning can be shared openly, and where innovation is viewed not as an isolated activity but as a collective endeavour. Scotland already has innovative social care organisations. It already has world-leading universities. It already has a growing innovation ecosystem. The challenge, and the opportunity, is creating stronger and more purposeful connections between them. If we can do that successfully, we have an opportunity not only to generate innovation, but to ensure that innovation is sustained, evaluated, shared and scaled. In doing so, we can reduce duplication of effort, attract new investment into the sector, and create stronger pathways for evidence, learning and innovation to improve outcomes for people and communities across Scotland. The DCCS has an upcoming workshop represents another step in that journey. More importantly, it provides an opportunity to continue a wider conversation about how social care, academia and innovation partners can work together to ensure that good ideas do not remain isolated, but become part of a stronger and more connected system of learning, improvement and innovation. If this is something that interests you please contact: stephanie.crowe@dhi-scotland.com

Presently, there are many big questions being asked by providers of social care: are we being properly funded to deliver care and support and, if not, what are the consequences of this? How should the governance of social care be constructed in respect of the balance between national oversight and local commissioning? How do we secure a skilled and values-driven workforce, and ensure that there is a pipeline of talent entering the sector? Should we commit to national pay bargaining for the workforce, as proposed by the Scottish Government? These are all important questions, but I want to focus on another: how will the digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution impact the lives of people with support needs and the providers who offer day-to-day support? And to what degree are providers of social care being funded to grow and innovate in this space? Productivity and Efficiency Gains Let me start with the low hanging fruit. Almost all providers of social care are digitising the back office. For some time already, there has been a roll-out of cloud-based systems to support secure and effective business administration: finance and HR packages; care management systems; rota planning platforms. These are important foundations for any contemporary social care provider. And we are beginning to use emergent technologies in AI to deliver further productivity gains: the digital production of meeting notes saves significant time and effort and yields decent results; AI assistance with bureaucratically burdensome tasks like responding to Subject Access Requests is welcome; the use of AI to sense check questions of law or regulation can be a helpful precursor to seeking more formal advice. However, all of these technologies require investment, and oftentimes the management fee built into social care contracts doesn’t cover the costs. In a commissioning landscape where the costs of delivery are not fully recognised by commissioners, this needs to be addressed. Staff Experience We are also exploring how best new technologies can improve the experience of staff working in the social care sector. While many people are drawn to the relational experience of providing care and support, it would be wrong to discount technology as an enabler. Many colleagues are already using their own personal devices to conveniently access organisational platforms or apps, which then enhances care planning and management. Equally, in terms of career development, we want people to access digital learning, in support of their professional development. But we still have a large tail – not everyone is comfortable using technology and so we need to support and train staff to acquire the skills and knowledge. People We Support While these gains are all well and good, the real opportunity is in relation to the provision of support to people. We are all experiencing the digital revolution as citizens, but it is still the case that there are segments of the population which are not being fully included and positioned to exploit these technologies. Take banking. My organisation has worked hard over the last few years to engage major financial institutions to consider how we can support people with a learning disability to more effectively and securely connect with digital banking. We take the view that the transition to a cashless society is inexorable – so rather than contest it, we are working with the banks to ensure that disabled people are supported to capitalise on these changes rather than be disadvantaged by them. The same is true in relation to energy. We have emergent technologies that allow energy suppliers to gain valuable safeguarding information from consumers with additional support needs. We are therefore working with partners to advance energy inclusion and ensure that the citizens have secure energy provision and responsive services. Or again, we are seeking to transform the lives of people with epilepsy through the application of digital technologies. We operate a tech-enabled specialist hospital, which, by the way, is one of the few examples of the third sector delivering front line secondary care services to NHS patients. Historically, we have complemented this with an outreach service which supports people with complex epilepsy to manage their condition (in comparison to the wider population, they have lower mortality, poorer mental health and experience greater levels of social isolation). However, we are future proofing this work by transitioning towards a digital model where the relational support is delivered through video call and supplemented by home technologies and wearable devices that will spit out metrics that ensure our specialist practitioners are better able to provide support. The model promises to be more efficient, deliver improved access, and secure better outcomes. We were able to get this pilot up and running with a small slice of Scottish Government funding, but the reality is that financial support for third sector innovation is the exception rather than the rule. Insufficient resources are being put into digital innovation beyond the big public sector bureaucracies. Third sector organisations are fleet of foot and can lead on innovation, but in the absence of seed funding good ideas go to waste. To offer a case in point, two years ago we proposed to revolutionise the facilitation of Self-Directed Support by creating a digital one-stop-shop which would assist people with support needs to direct a personal budget, outline their goals and outcomes, establish (if they wished) themselves as an employer of personal assistants, manage payroll and associated financial matters, establish workable rotas – all through a digital application which had been tried and tested in New Zealand. But there were no takers. Everyone thought it was a good idea; everyone could see that New Zealand were doing it better than we were; but no-one wanted to fund it. So instead of innovation we got inertia. Instead of transformation we got timidity. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can lead the way in the application of digital technologies in social care. But only if we invest in the future. Ron Culley, Chief Executive of Quarriers: DCCS Delivery Group member

Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre to help NHS partners design and deliver integrated, end-to-end care The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) has been commissioned by NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire to support delivery of the Obesity Pathway Innovation Programme (OPIP), following a recent UK Government announcement confirming funding for innovative approaches to obesity care across Scotland. The UKRI-funded programme will enable new models of weight management support that improve access to personalised care, strengthen prevention, and reduce pressure on frontline services. NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire are among the successful healthcare providers across the UK awarded funding, with DHI acting as a key delivery partner to help translate ambition into scalable, digital-first services. DHI supported 6 Scottish health boards in developing bids to the competitive programme, with Lothian and Lanarkshire progressing to delivery. Building on this foundation, DHI will now work closely with both boards and a wider consortium to co-design and implement integrated, end-to-end weight management pathways. Central to this work is the development of a shared digital platform that enables people to access the right support at the right time - ranging from self-management tools and community services through to specialist clinical care. This approach is based on many years of pathway design and digital innovation experience led by DHI and partners, focused on creating more flexible, person-centred services that move beyond traditional appointment-based models. As a commissioned partner, DHI’s role spans co-design with patients and professionals, digital platform development, programme facilitation, and contract management. The programme will be delivered through a collaborative consortium that includes Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Public Service Delivery Scotland, Defence Medical Command and a range of Scottish SMEs, ensuring a blend of national capability and local innovation. The work sits within DHI’s Population Health Management portfolio, which aims to support a shift from reactive, case-based care to proactive, population-level approaches. By creating reusable digital capabilities and infrastructure, the programme will generate assets that can be adopted and scaled across NHS Scotland, supporting future services beyond weight management. A key principle underpinning the programme is the creation of a sustainable, ‘Once for Scotland’ model, where shared digital foundations enable consistent, high-quality care while allowing for local flexibility in delivery. Chaloner Chute, Chief Technology Officer at DHI said: "The deep co-design work we have undertaken with patients and staff reveals a critical opportunity to modernise weight management delivery. The clear consensus is that we need a ‘Once for Scotland’ approach - one that bridges existing gaps, prioritises prevention, and embeds self-management at its core. This UKRI-funded project is a significant milestone for digital health and care, providing DHI with the resources to help the NHS accelerate innovation and rise to these unprecedented service challenges.” By working in partnership with NHS boards and national organisations, DHI will help ensure that the OPIP programme not only delivers local impact but also contributes to long-term transformation of health and care services across Scotland. View the announcement: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pioneering-projects-to-transform-obesity-care-backed-by-85-million-from-government-and-industry

Finding the right service at the right time to help you live well Want to find support and resources available, explore Community Connections Moray, a new platform being designed, developed and tested locally in partnership with Moray Health & Social Care, third sector, and citizens, to help people find local groups, services and online resources that support health, wellbeing, and independent living in one place. You can use this platform for yourself, including services for role unpaid carer, or to find help for someone you support This platform brings information from the NHS, social care, charities, community groups, independent providers, and local businesses into one easy-to-use place where people can explore over 650 services in their local area that can benefit them. It is free and easy to use, with support grouped into helpful sections which include, wellbeing and mental health, personal support, housing, and health and social care. Examples include services in Occupational Therapy including Access Care Team Moray and AskSARA. You do not need to create an account to use Community Connections, and no personal information is stored on the system, even when making a self-referral to a service, ensuring you will not receive any unsolicited correspondence. You can access community connections Moray here: https://communityconnect.scot AskSARA AskSARA is a free online service that can be accessed through Community Connections Moray. To address the demand on the community Occupational Therapy Services and to offer supported guidance for those with lower-level need before making a referral, Moray is now testing the AskSARA platform within a new digital pathway for citizens. What is AskSARA and how can it benefit me? AskSARA is an easy-to-use online tool that gives personalised advice on equipment and simple home adaptions to help people of all ages stay independent. You can get guidance on everyday challenges such as: Moving around your home Getting in and out of bed, chairs or the toilet Bathing and Showering Cooking, eating and drinking Using technology for reminders, staying connected or detecting falls How does AskSARA work? Step 1: Visit the AskSARA Moray Website Step 2: Choose the topic you need help with Step 3: Answer a few questions about your situation Step 4: Receive a free personalised report with: Clear advice based on Occupational Therapy expertise A list of products and equipment that may help, with links to where you can buy them Extra contacts and information Option to save or share the report with family, friends or care workers Why should I use AskSARA? If you are struggling with mobility or activities of daily living but are unsure what might help, AskSARA can provide tailored recommendations, and offers impartial options for private purchase from a range of reputable suppliers. Linked to the Disabled Living Foundation’s website, it has access to over 10,000 products, 950 national suppliers and 800 local retailers. This can help people to quicky find their own solutions to simple problems, or to wait well for an OT assessment when this is required. What makes the platform unique, is that the automated recommendations based on your answers have been developed by Occupational Therapists. It is owned by a charity not a company and does not sell products or save your data, so recommendations are impartial and you will not be contacted by any companies trying to sell you anything. Where necessary the system will recommend when a referral should be made to the occupational therapy team. Information about Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre Health and Care services across Scotland are facing unprecedented capacity challenges due to an aging population and reduced working age population, compounded by public service financial pressures and the cost-of-living crisis. Through UK Government investment via the Moray Growth Deal, Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI) is working with local health, care and third sector services and most importantly the citizens of Moray to help identify key issues, and co-develop digital solutions to address these issues, ahead of potential national rollout. The top three asks the protect has responded to: A need for a one-stop shop to help citizens and those who support them to find the services that are right for them at the right time A need to integrate communications across services to help reduce the need for citizens to repeat their story A need to find innovative ways to reduce waiting times for citizens and to help direct limited statutory services to where they are needed most, through increased supported self-management opportunities, and a shift to early intervention preventative and proactive delivery. If you use the service, we would be very grateful if you could take a moment to complete the short survey to tell us anonymously about your experience https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/uhi/asksara-questionnaire

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.

(Health Frontiers TIC Project) Closing date: 1/07/2026 Salary range: £37,694 - £46,049 FTE: 1 (35 hours/week) Term: Fixed (36 months, expected end date: 31/05/2029) The IDA will support DHI to deliver Health Frontiers, which is a €9.1 million investment in digital health & MedTech innovation. The project is led by Ulster University and aims to create a flagship cross-border hub for research and innovation, driving advancements in next- generation digital health and medical technologies. The initiative brings together leading universities, healthcare providers, and MedTech enterprises from Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Scotland to accelerate innovation that improves patient care, enhances clinical systems, and drives economic growth. DHI is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual to support the development and delivery of Health Frontiers through applied design innovation, stakeholder-centred enquiry, and innovation readiness building activity. Working as part of DHI’s established design team, the IDA will help ensure that lived experience, clinical insight, and service needs remain at the heart of innovation - shaping solutions that are desirable, feasible, and viable. The IDA will contribute to activities including: Facilitating co design workshops and participatory sessions Supporting insight generation and consensus building across clinical, academic, and industry stakeholders Helping companies assess their innovation readiness and identify pathways for progression Supporting one to many events such as seminars, information sessions, and capability building workshops Helping visualise concepts, workflows, current state and future state service models Documenting insights and producing high quality design artefacts. The postholder will support the Innovation Lead and Design Director and will work collaboratively across DHI’s wider team of researchers, service designers, technologists, and programme managers. The successful postholder will bring experience of working within higher education, health, care or the creative or digital industries ideally in research, public engagement, technology development or economic development and will bring strong organisational skills and attention to detail to support collaborative, design-led research and innovation. They will demonstrate a high level of personal responsibility, initiative, and sound judgement, with the ability to respond independently to challenges and adapt in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment. Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills are essential, as the postholder will engage confidently with a diverse range of stakeholders across academia, health, care, industry, and the public sector. The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and developing key stakeholder relationships, having the skills to contribute to robust knowledge exchange networks involving government representatives, professional bodies, industry, academia and key external organisations, supporting a portfolio of ground-breaking research & innovation in MedTech. The IDA is a Fixed Term post ending in June 2029. The post will be line managed by the Innovation Lead and work in a matrix management approach with the DHI Design Director and Director of Planning and Performance. DHI operates a flexible, blended working environment that reflects its organisational footprint across Scotland including the Rural Centre of Excellence in Moray and the Glasgow School of Art’s Highlands & Islands Campus in Forres alongside its partnership with the University of Strathclyde. The role will involve a combination of home‑working, on‑site activity at DHI locations, and travel to partner organisations across Scotland, the wider UK, and internationally when required. Regular travel within Ireland and Northern Ireland will be an essential component of this post. The formal base for the role will be DHI’s Rural Centre of Excellence in Moray in Elgin, with activities also being undertaken at GSA Forres site. For any informal enquiries, please contact Karim Mahmoud , Innovation Lead (karim.mahmoud@dhi-scotland.com). please click here for full details..pdf

Suppliers are invited to apply for a new opportunity to develop digitally enabled products supporting mental health and substance use across Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. The SUMIT (Substance Use and Mental Health Interventions using Digital Technology) Project has reached a major milestone with the publication of its Digital Products contract notice, now live on Public Contracts Scotland. Led by Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), with the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) at the University of Strathclyde leading the digital products workstream, SUMIT is a cross-border initiative designed to improve outcomes for people experiencing substance use and mental health challenges. The project spans Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland and is supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). A major opportunity for innovation This procurement will commission a minimum of three digitally enabled products that can be deployed across multiple health and care settings. The focus is on solutions that not only demonstrate innovation, but also deliver sustainable, long-term impact for individuals and systems alike. Suppliers will have the opportunity to develop products that: Improve access to support and services Address inequalities in care provision Enable earlier intervention and better outcomes Scale across jurisdictions and health systems Built on collaboration and co-design A core principle of the SUMIT project is participatory design, ensuring that solutions are shaped by those who will use and deliver them. This includes people with lived experience, alongside health and care, and voluntary sector professionals. The approach is informed by insights gathered through: Demonstrator sites across participating locations Extensive industry engagement, including the SUMIT Industry Breakfast Briefing held on 31 March Ongoing collaboration between academic, clinical, voluntary and innovation partners This ensures that the solutions developed are practical, relevant, and capable of being embedded into real-world settings. Driving cross-border impact SUMIT represents a unique example of cross-border collaboration, bringing together expertise from across three jurisdictions to tackle shared challenges. By supporting the development of scalable digital products, the project aims to create lasting improvements in how services are accessed and delivered. The initiative also reflects a strong commitment to reducing health inequalities, particularly for communities who face barriers to accessing traditional services. Apply now Organisations interested in applying can access the full contract notice and tender documentation via Public Contracts Scotland: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN557948 Reference number: JUN557948 Applications are being managed through the PCS Tender system. This is a significant opportunity for organisations to collaborate, innovate, and contribute to transforming mental health and substance use support across the region.

The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), marking the beginning of a new international education collaboration to support the next generation of entrepreneurs. It will create new collaborative opportunities between Scotland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and build on the strengths of our existing academic institutions. The partnership will enhance the global expansion of the #DigiInventors Challenge by connecting school pupils in Scotland and the UAE with DIDI students and staff, who will be entrepreneurial role models and bootcamp mentors for this inspirational and engaging programme. Through this collaboration, participants will gain exposure to international perspectives, design-led thinking, and real-world challenges as they develop their ideas for transforming health and care. The #DigiInventors Challenge is an existing national programme in Scotland that empowers young people to develop entrepreneurial, digital, design innovation, STEM, and meta skills while developing ideas to solve real-world health and social care challenges. By encouraging collaboration across education, design, digital health and care, the programme helps young people channel innovation as a positive force for change locally and internationally. The partnership between DHI and DIDI further strengthens this ambition by bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise. The agreement reflects a shared commitment between DHI and DIDI to inspire future talent, improve the gender imbalance within digital and STEM subjects, and demonstrate how design and technology can work together to improve lives. Moira Mackenzie, Deputy CEO and Director of Innovation, Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, said: “This exciting partnership furthers the global ambitions of the #DigiInventors Challenge. By connecting young people in Scotland and the UAE with design thinking and international expertise from Dubai, we are creating opportunities for inspiration, collaboration and learning that extend far beyond the classroom. Through DHI’s unique position in Scotland’s innovation landscape, we hope to act as a connector for DIDI to create new collaborative opportunities with relevant institutions and organisations across Scotland.” Mohammad Abdullah, President, Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, said: At DIDI, we believe the most powerful design tool we have is the next generation. This partnership with DHI is a natural extension of our mission - to cultivate leaders who think beyond borders and use creativity as a force for real-world impact. By connecting our students with young innovators in Scotland, we are building bridges between cultures, disciplines, and ideas at exactly the moment the world needs it most. Health and care are fundamentally human challenges, and design thinking - rooted in empathy - is one of the most powerful ways we can address them together." At a time when global challenges are at the forefront of people’s minds, the partnership highlights the positive role of international collaboration in education and innovation. By working together, both organisations aim to create meaningful opportunities for young people while contributing to the future of the global digital health and care sector. The collaboration will initially focus on enhancing the #DigiInventors Challenge, with potential to explore further joint activity in education, innovation, and knowledge exchange in the future. The next #DigiInventors Challenge will launch in August 2026 – check the website (www.digiinventors.com) for the latest information.

Moray Growth Deal-funded research sets out how today’s technology can turn an ordinary home into preventative health infrastructure affordably and at scale A new blueprint published today sets out how rural homes can be designed, built and retrofitted to support healthier, lower-carbon and more independent living. Produced by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), ‘ENVISION: The Digital Blueprint for a Smart Home of the Future’ is designed to be replicated across rural Scotland and beyond, offering a practical, costed response to three of the UK's most pressing and interconnected challenges: a health and care system under historic strain, a housing stock responsible for nearly a fifth of the country's carbon emissions, and a population ageing faster than the infrastructure built to support it. The blueprint was delivered as part of the £5 million Rural Centre of Excellence for Digital Health & Care Innovation, funded by the UK Government as part of the Moray Growth Deal, which supports a programme to advance digital health, social care innovation, and rural housing development. It was produced in partnership with built environment specialists BE-ST, Moray Council, architecture practice Architype, strategic built environment and technology partner Evolve Capex, and socio-political entrepreneurs The Alternative UK. Scotland’s future homes will need to deliver more than minimum compliance alone. Greater affordability in use, improved health and comfort, adaptability, resilience and reduced future retrofit demand are increasingly what commissioners, landlords and housing providers will expect. The ENVISION blueprint explores how those outcomes can be delivered proportionately across different housing models, from scalable options for volume builders to longer-term rental and social housing approaches, with more ambitious specifications positioned as demonstrator propositions for those ready to go further. Working from evidence that people spend approximately 90% of their lives indoors, and that the home environment is a direct determinant of physical and mental health, the blueprint identifies ten predictive use cases, from damp and mould risk detection to early signs of cognitive drift, where low-cost digital systems embedded at build stage can intervene before health deteriorates. Although designed to be replicable across Scotland and beyond, the blueprint is firmly rooted in Moray. Developed with a cross-sector project delivery group, and drawing on the region's rural realities including higher energy costs, older and harder-to-treat housing stock, patchy connectivity, and reduced access to health and care services, it positions Moray as a leading exemplar of rural digital health innovation. The blueprint has already attracted a group of early adopters committed to testing and implementing its recommendations, including Moray Council, BE-ST, Hanover, Bield, Grampian Housing Association, Capability Scotland and The Retail Trust. Private home builders considering innovation plots through the Moray Growth Deal housing mix programme are also among those the blueprint is designed to serve. Margaret Whoriskey, Head of Innovation for Care & Wellbeing at DHI, said: “There is a real opportunity here to move beyond minimum standards and design homes that actively support people to live well as their health and care needs change. ENVISION reframes the home as something more fundamental, not just shelter, but preventative infrastructure. The technology to make that shift is available now, it is affordable, and the financial case for deploying it is strong, particularly for social landlords managing assets over the long term.” Councillor Marc Macrae, Chair of the Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee and Moray Growth Deal lead said: “It is great to see Moray as an innovator in rural housing and digital health. Through the Moray Growth Deal, we can support solutions that respond to challenges faced in our communities such as fuel poverty and ageing housing stock. “The ENVISION blueprint shows that homes, both new and old, can play an important role in improving health and wellbeing while also reducing energy costs and emissions.” The blueprint situates the home at the intersection of three global challenges whose urgency has been sharply reinforced by recent data. On health and care: Nearly one million older people in the UK experience persistent loneliness, a risk factor comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day Fuel poverty affects approximately 6.1 million households across the UK, with cold, damp homes directly worsening respiratory and cardiovascular conditions The NHS faces rising demand from demographic change with no equivalent rise in capacity On housing and climate: Around 55% of UK homes already overheat during relatively cool summers, a figure set to worsen Operational emissions from buildings account for approximately 19% of the UK's carbon footprint 80% of the buildings that will be occupied in 2050 already exist, making retrofit as urgent as new build On rural Scotland specifically: Rural households face higher energy costs, older housing stock harder to treat, patchy digital connectivity, and reduced access to health and care services Single-occupancy living, more prevalent in rural areas, drives up per-person energy use and amplifies the risks of isolation The blueprint responds to each of these with a phased, practically-grounded approach structured across three horizons: Horizon 1 (deployable now, within 1-3 years), Horizon 2 (predictive integration, 3-7 years) and Horizon 3 (ambient intelligence and regenerative communities, 7+ years). Each horizon builds deliberately on the one before, protecting today's investments from obsolescence. Janette Hughes, Director of Planning and Performance at DHI and executive lead for the programme, said: “What makes ENVISION different is that it doesn't ask housing providers to take a leap of faith. Horizon 1 is built entirely from proven technology that is deployable today. The sensors, the edge computing, the basic health monitoring - none of it is experimental. What's new is the framework for bringing it together coherently, and the evidence that doing so is financially defensible. We wanted to give commissioners and housing providers something they could actually use.” The analysis finds that the preferred Horizon 1, Level 2 specification adds £33,121 per dwelling above the policy baseline, around 11% of total build cost, with the digital infrastructure itself representing only around 1.4% of that. When combined with a Passivhaus-grade fabric specification, the model reduces annual maintenance costs by £1,470 per dwelling and turns a projected £1,320 annual operating deficit for a social landlord into a £403 surplus. At the heart of the blueprint is a Home Operating System (HOS), a low-power edge computing hub that integrates all sensors and controls including indoor air quality, temperature, movement, humidity and sleep patterns, and runs automation and predictive modelling locally, without streaming sensitive data to the cloud. In practical terms, the system can detect rising humidity patterns that precede visible damp and mould formation by days; identify early signs of cognitive drift or mobility decline before they become safety risks; flag fuel poverty under-heating and suggest safe heating cycles; and recognise patterns of loneliness and social withdrawal associated with depression and accelerated cognitive decline. Crucially, all data processing happens inside the home. Nothing is shared with landlords, care services or health providers without explicit resident consent. The blueprint sets out a governance model designed around resident agency, described as 'local first, cloud optional', and is built on open protocols to avoid vendor lock-in. For rural communities where broadband reliability cannot be guaranteed, the system is designed to function at full capacity for essential functions including heating, ventilation and safety, even in the event of complete connectivity loss. Although the blueprint was developed for rural Moray under the UK Government's Growth Deal investment, its authors are explicit that its principles apply far beyond its origin. The three-horizon framework, the affordability analysis, and the technology stack have all been designed for replication across different tenures, geographies, and housing types. Kaye Keenan, Impact Manager at BE-ST, said: “BE-ST is delighted to support this DHI blueprint, providing guidance and support around sustainable construction and innovation. By prioritising construction methods and materials with low embodied energy, it aligns with Scotland's net zero ambitions whilst also considering rural-specific design challenges. The design of the blueprint is a great opportunity for creating embedded adoptability in smart rural homes.” ENVISION is published today alongside complementary Living Lab outputs and launched as part of an online webinar on 2 June 2026. To register for the upcoming webinar (02.06.26 - 13:00 - 14:30) click here Learn more: here

We are currently recruiting participants for upcoming SAFXR focus groups and are keen to hear from professionals working across healthcare, social care, emergency services, and education. SAFXR (Safety Planning for Suicide Prevention XR) is an innovative extended reality (XR) tool designed to support individuals at risk of suicide or experiencing severe mental health challenges. The project aims to strengthen practitioner confidence, competence, and emotional resilience when managing high-risk situations, while also supporting practitioner wellbeing and reflective practice. As SAFXR continues to develop, we are inviting professionals to help shape the future direction of the tool through a series of co-design workshops and focus group discussions. Your insights and lived professional experience will play an important role in ensuring SAFXR is practical, impactful, and relevant to frontline settings. To learn more about the project, you can now watch the SAFXR stakeholder webinar recording here: Interested in taking part in a SAFXR focus group? Register your interest here: SAFXR is delivered in partnership by: Care Reality (Lead Partner) University of Glasgow Public Service Delivery Scotland Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI)

DLS announces 3 new partnerships for 2026-27 The Digital Lifelines team are excited to announce three new locations for the next year of the programme. Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships (ADP) in Aberdeenshire, Dundee and Moray have successfully applied for funding. This next year will build on the achievements of Angus and East Ayrshire ADPs which were so powerfully shared at the DLS Conference in March 2026. Angus and East Ayrshire will remain with the programme until autumn this year as they continue to embed their experiences, acting as advisors and advocates for our new partnerships. We will continue a place-based and person-led approach which will incorporate Digital Inclusion and Digital Products workstreams and seek to identify new ways of working to better integrate services for people who use drugs. Very much a collaboration with frontline services, working with people with lived and living experience, to ensure the programme remains relevant and impactful for beneficiaries. DLS will be supporting the locations to deliver key Scottish Government priorities outlined in the recently published strategic plan for drugs and alcohol: Preventing Harm, Promoting Recovery. Implementation will align with the seven fundamental rights essential for recovery and wellbeing as determined by the Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Use. Remaining at the core of the programme will be knowledge exchange through Communities of Learning and Shared Learning events, and the team intend engaging widely with previously funded partners, and other organisations and ADPs with a keen interest in embedding digital inclusion and digital services for people who use drugs. The DLS Conference will return in March 2027 too. We are grateful to the other ADPs who submitted applications and made the selection of Aberdeenshire, Dundee and Moray so difficult. Our new partnerships will explore a variety of pathways from the significant challenges faced by women to residential and independent living; for prison to community support and other critical transition pathways; for harm reduction services and recovery and ongoing support. It will be an invigorating and dynamic mix of opportunities, and the team are especially delighted to engage with its first city-based ADP. Please contact the team if you have any question about DLS or wish to be kept informed of future progress: digital.lifelines@dhi-scotland.com Digital Lifelines Scotland is managed by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) in conjunction with core partners SCVO and Simon Community Scotland and supported by Public Services Delivery Scotland. The third phase of DLS is funded by The Alcohol and Drugs Support Division in the Scottish Government with previous phases also receiving funding from Digital Health and Care Division and the Drug Deaths Taskforce in the Scottish Government.

SUMIT, supported by PEACEPLUS, managed by the Special EU Programme Body (SEUPB), has been building momentum as it approaches the first year of delivery. Launch Event 2025 The SUMIT partnership Our Partners | Substance Use and Mental Health Interventions using Digital Technology (SUMIT) has made significant progress in laying the foundations for digitally enhanced addiction and mental health services across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Working closely across community, voluntary and justice sector settings, demonstrator sites have been established and strengthened in Drogheda, Dundalk, Derry, Letterkenny, Fife, and Belfast. These sites will serve as real-world testbeds for innovative digital solutions designed to enhance access to support for people experiencing substance use and mental health challenges. A key achievement has been the delivery of co-design workshops by DHI involving 25 service providers and 21 service users, ensuring future digital solutions are shaped by lived experience and frontline expertise. The project also advanced workforce development through the development of SUMIT Skills Framework, including trauma-informed training and digital upskilling programme while Communities of Practice continued to foster cross-border knowledge exchange and collaboration. Digital inclusion assessments, procurement planning for devices and connectivity, and the development of robust research and evaluation frameworks have positioned the partnership to move confidently into the implementation phase. DLS Conference 2026 By bringing together expertise in digital inclusion, innovation, research and service delivery, SUMIT is creating scalable, evidence-based approaches that will help improve access to care and outcomes for people affected by substance use and mental health challenges across the region.

In mid-April, leaders from across Moray’s business, public and third sectors came together at the Rural Centre of Excellence at Moray UHI for a focused business breakfast. This was not to discuss another strategy, but to test something far more ambitious. The question at the heart of the session was simple: Can Moray build a new way of working, where local organisations come together to turn health and social care challenges into practical, deliverable opportunities? What emerged from the discussion was clear. There is both appetite and urgency to do things differently. Moray, like many regions, is facing increasing pressure across health and social care. But rather than viewing these purely as system challenges, the conversation focused on something more constructive: What if these challenges were reframed as opportunities for local businesses, social enterprises and community organisations? Not in theory, but in practical economic impact values. Bridge Moray is built on that premise. It is not a programme of ideas or reports. It is a collaborative venture focused on co-designing real solutions, grounded in local need and delivered through local capability. The initiative is being supported through the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) as part of the Moray Growth Deal, creating a platform to explore how innovation, collaboration and local delivery can come together in a meaningful and scalable ways. What We Heard Across the room, there was strong alignment on a number of key points: There is a clear appetite to collaborate across sectors Businesses are interested, but require tangible opportunities, not just concepts The greatest potential sits in non-clinical and community-based services The third sector is ready to play a central role in shaping delivery There is momentum but a strong need for clear direction and next steps Perhaps most importantly, there was a shared recognition that: Moray responds best to solutions that are built locally, where the impact is visible and felt within its communities. Local Opportunity A significant theme emerging from the session was the role of Community Wealth Building (CWB), a follow on for TSI Moray's Join the Dots event. Currently, a large proportion of health and social care spend flows out of the region. CWB presents a real opportunity to change that, by strengthening local supply chains and enabling more businesses and organisations within Moray to deliver services. This is about keeping more value local and creating new opportunities by doing so. With the backing of DHI and the Moray Growth Deal, Bridge Moray creates the conditions to begin connecting that opportunity with real demand, supporting both improved outcomes and regional economic growth. While the ambition is clear, so too is the challenge. To move forward, the focus now needs to shift from discussion to execution. That means: Defining a small number of priority challenge areas Translating these into clear, business-ready opportunities Understanding and navigating procurement and delivery pathways Creating space to test, pilot and refine solutions locally There was a shared understanding that this work will require coordination, commitment and a different way of working but that it is both possible and worthwhile. What Happens Next The business breakfast was an important first step in validating the concept. The next phase will focus on building momentum through action, working with partners across sectors to shape early opportunities, test ideas, and begin demonstrating what this approach could deliver in practice. Bridge Moray will only succeed if it continues to be shaped collaboratively. The strength of the region lies in its networks, its businesses, and its communities and this initiative is designed to bring those strengths together in a more purposeful way. We would like to thank each and every person that attended the Business Breakfast and for all of those involved, your input will now help us shape a way to bridging the gap. The direction is clear. Now the focus is on delivery.

The #DigiInventors Awards Ceremony 2026 was a powerful celebration of creativity, empathy and ambition, recognising young innovators who are already re‑imagining how digital ideas can improve health, wellbeing and care. Hosted at City of Glasgow College, the evening brought together pupils, educators, families, partners and supporters to celebrate not just winning ideas, but the future potential of Scotland’s digital talent pipeline. For those unable to attend, the ceremony offered an inspiring snapshot of how early intervention, the right support, and meaningful real‑world challenges can unlock confidence and capability in the next generation. Delivered by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), the #DigiInventors Challenge is a curriculum‑aligned innovation programme that invites young people to develop digital solutions to real‑world health, social care and wellbeing challenges. Now in its fourth Primary School edition, the programme supports pupils to build essential skills in: Digital and design thinking Creativity and problem‑solving Teamwork, communication and pitching Early awareness of health, care and technology careers In 2026 alone, the Primary Challenge engaged over 300 pupils from 122 applications, representing schools from urban, rural and remote communities across Scotland. For educators and industry alike, #DigiInventors represents a practical, scalable way to strengthen the future skills pipeline at a time when digital health and care continues to grow. From the moment guests arrived, the atmosphere was one of excitement and pride. The ceremony was grounded in celebration of pupils’ ideas, teacher support, and the collective effort that brings the Challenge to life. The programme moved through Special Recognition awards, Runner‑Up teams, and finally the 2026 Primary School Edition Winners, each introduced through engaging project videos that brought pupils’ concepts to life. Across the stage, themes of inclusion, sustainability, accessibility and mental wellbeing shone through. Winners included: The Cool Crutch - a sustainable, customisable mobility aid addressing physical impairment Pulse Pals - a digital wellbeing app supporting anxiety management Kooldle - an accessible braille‑based reading device for children with vision impairment The trophies presented at the 2026 #DigiInventors Awards were made by The Workshop Aberfeldy, a social enterprise based in Perthshire. The image below showcases the people and workshop environment involved in making the trophies. The Workshop Aberfeldy supports individuals who face barriers to employment by providing practical work experience and skills development through production and craft. Visit their website to learn more DHI’s Role: Building Skills, Confidence and Futures At the heart of #DigiInventors is DHI’s mission to strengthen Scotland’s digital health and care ecosystem - not only through technology, but through people. By intervening early, DHI helps young people see themselves as problem‑solvers, innovators and future contributors to a £700bn+ global sector. The Challenge supports workforce development, inclusion and long‑term economic resilience, while giving educators real‑world, high‑engagement learning experiences. Importantly, participation in #DigiInventors contributes towards Young STEM Leader Awards, providing formal recognition that builds confidence and supports learners’ future pathways. Get Involved: Sponsorship and Partnership Opportunities The success of #DigiInventors is powered by collaboration. For organisations across industry, academia, health, care and education, the programme offers meaningful sponsorship opportunities that align with ESG goals, workforce development and social impact. Partners can support: Early skills development and future talent pipelines Inclusive, curriculum‑aligned education High‑impact national and international innovation programmes View the #DigiInventors Sponsorship Brochure to explore how your organisation can get involved as a partner or supporter. Looking Ahead The 2026 Awards Ceremony marked another milestone, but it is only the beginning. With growing national and international interest, #DigiInventors continues to expand its reach, impact and ambition. Applications for future Challenges will open soon, and we encourage educators, schools and partners to be part of it. Congratulations to all our 2026 #DigiInventors. Blog written by Olivia Dunbar

Research Data Scotland (RDS) has published a new Operational Framework to support secure, ethical and more consistent private sector access to public sector data for research in the public good. Developed on behalf of the Scottish Government, the framework is designed to support informed decision-making by Scotland’s public sector data controllers when managing requests from industry to access de-identified data for research and innovation. This is an important step for Scotland’s research and innovation landscape. Public sector data has significant potential to improve health and care, inform better services, support economic growth and accelerate responsible innovation - but only when access is managed in ways that are ethical, transparent and able to maintain public trust. The new framework seeks to create clearer and more efficient routes for that access while keeping robust safeguards in place. The framework has been developed through the Scottish Government’s Unlocking the Value of Data programme and builds on earlier work by RDS, engagement with stakeholders across Scotland, and public engagement activity. It is intended primarily for public sector data controllers and others involved in access decisions, while also offering greater clarity for researchers and innovators. The initial testing and evaluation phase will focus on healthcare, specifically access to de-identified healthcare data for research purposes. Why this matters For innovators, researchers and partners working across health and care, clearer pathways to data access matter. Better access arrangements can help reduce complexity, improve consistency and create the conditions for more research and innovation that delivers public benefit. The framework is underpinned by a number of guiding principles, including public interest and public benefit, transparency, public engagement and involvement, and risk management. It also sits alongside established safeguards such as de-identification, Trusted Research Environments and the Five Safes framework. Together, these measures are intended to support the safe and trustworthy use of data while enabling projects that can improve outcomes for people and communities across Scotland. A foundation for future progress Importantly, this is a first version of the framework rather than a final end point. RDS has said it will continue to test, evaluate and refine the approach in collaboration with data controllers and partners, with supporting materials and further development to follow over time. Alongside the framework, RDS has also published a set of private sector case studies showing how public sector data can support research in the public benefit, including work linked to cancer outcomes, multimorbidity, imaging and precision medicine. RDS has also announced plans for a pilot Accelerator Award to support Scotland-based SMEs in the life sciences sector to undertake research in the public benefit. Find out more You can read the full announcement from Research Data Scotland, download the Operational Framework, explore the Scottish Government blog on the publication, and review the private sector case studies on the RDS website.