Bright ideas get healthy boost

A new programme is helping North East innovators turn bright ideas for health into real-world solutions.

NortHFutures, a collective of the region’s health organisations and universities, has teamed up with AI-powered health platform Daiser to deliver a free accelerator designed to take digital health concepts from idea to action.

Called Impact Ready: Designing Digital Health That Works, officials say the scheme offers a blend of workshops and one-to-one support for people at the earliest stages of developing a health-related innovation. 

They add the aim is to equip participants with the tools to design services that can scale, secure funding and ultimately improve health outcomes across the region.

Jennifer Wood, programme manager from NortHFutures, said: “We’re thrilled to be able bring this programme to help innovators in our region. 

“Mike and the Daiser team have built some of the most impactful digital services in health and navigated the tricky path of crafting a digital health idea through to successful implementation and operation. 

“Our training will guide teams through the full journey of getting a digital health product from concept to use in live care settings. 

“We want to help those with innovative ideas build better, safer, and more useful tools, and that will ultimately improve care for patients and strengthen the region’s healthtech economy.”

Led in collaboration with Daiser’s co-founder Professor Mike Trenell, the accelerator draws on more than two decades of experience in creating and deploying digital health technologies into healthcare systems. 

Two in-person sessions will be held at The Catalyst in Newcastle on November 24 and 25, offering attendees the chance to test, refine and progress their ideas.

Mike added: “Individual innovators, small to medium enterprises, clinicians and academics have great ideas to improve healthcare using technology, often from lived experience of the health system. 

“While they are experts in one area, I see over and again how they struggle with evolving from idea to plan or miss some steps which could help them later on. 

“Brilliant innovations run a real risk of failing to overcome these barriers, and given that the future of health is in the implementation of easy-to-use digital tools, it’s just too hard. 

“I’m thrilled to lead this programme with the team from NortHFutures, as I know I will have experienced the frustrations many innovators will be facing right now. 

“This training programme will help unlock those frustrations and set them on a path to greater success.”

The programme is open to anyone with a seed of an idea, from healthcare and life sciences professionals to those in social care, digital, higher education or the public sector. 

Applications will be assessed on the potential impact of the proposals, with places fully funded thanks to support from UKRI.

Spaces are limited, with organisers encouraging those with digital health ambitions to apply now.

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