A digital app company offering tailored mental health support and a med-tech company transforming smartphones into clinical devices for home urine testing are among the firms selected to help the NHS address current challenges.
The Greater Manchester Digital Health Accelerator, managed by Health Innovation Manchester, is one of five schemes launched today. Building on the successful DigitalHealth.London Accelerator, this initiative represents the largest effort to expedite the adoption of digital health products within the NHS. The digital health market in England is projected to reach nearly £43 billion by 2018 and £408 billion by 2025.
These schemes, operated by the innovation arm of the NHS, Academic Health Science Networks, and partners, have been launched across London, Manchester, the South West, East Midlands, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. The London Accelerator, which has been operational for two years, has saved the NHS over £50 million, collaborated with 60 companies, and generated 169 jobs.
The successful SMEs will benefit from one-to-one support from a dedicated ‘NHS Navigator’. They will also receive specialist training, assistance with product development, opportunities to engage with experts from business, clinical, and governmental backgrounds, and regular chances to showcase their products to NHS decision-makers and influencers.
Among the companies chosen for the Greater Manchester accelerator is Brain in Hand, a 24/7 digital system that provides individuals with autism, mental health conditions, or learning difficulties with detailed personalised support through their smartphones. CEO David Fry commented, “Brain in Hand has already helped thousands of people in the social care sector, and we believe we can offer substantial benefits to anyone with common mental health problems such as autism within the NHS. The accelerator is one of the best ways to gain NHS access and understand how our product can benefit them. We hope the programme will enable us to refine our proposition and demonstrate the significant impact Brain in Hand can make.”
Another selected company, Healthy.io, aims to improve healthcare outcomes by converting smartphones into regulatory-approved clinical devices. Its first product line, Dip.io, allows patients to conduct regular urine tests at home using their smartphone cameras and a digital testing kit. Currently part of a project at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Matt Sweeney, customer success director, stated, “Our product enables better self-care for patients. By allowing patients to conduct urine tests at home, we can help avoid unnecessary GP appointments, reduce unplanned A&E admissions, and enhance the overall patient experience. Healthy.io is ready to sell to the NHS, and through the Manchester accelerator, we aim to gain support to scale our business, validate the benefits of our product, expand to new platforms, and secure introductions within the NHS.”
Liquid Bronze, another Manchester-based company, has developed Malinko, a clinically safe, secure scheduling system for managing community devices and its workforce. By automating the caseload scheduling process, it ensures optimally appointed visits with live data and location information collected from nurses via an app. Following a successful pilot with Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, founder Andrew Threlfall said, “We applied for the accelerator knowing we had a good product and some successes but faced significant challenges in scaling it, reaching a broader audience, and navigating the NHS procurement process. Through the Digital Health Accelerator, we hope to access more markets and learn from peers and other companies with similar experiences.”
Safe Steps, developed by Red Ninja, assists health and social care professionals in delivering standardised care and effective falls risk management. By assessing and tracking care home residents’ lifestyle and risk factors, it creates a personalised action plan to follow. Founder James Chapman stated, “We joined the accelerator as we needed additional expertise and guidance. Safe Steps is designed to help prevent falls and improve the lives of older people, which could substantially benefit the NHS, given that falls cost the NHS £2.3 billion annually. Our ultimate goal is to see this product used in every care home in the UK.”
The launch of these digital health accelerators signifies a major push towards integrating innovative digital solutions within the NHS, addressing current challenges and improving patient care across England.