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Groundbreaking accelerator to drive NHS digital health revolution

A new digital health technology accelerator has launched which will help drive digital health innovations in the NHS.

The London-based DigitalHealth.London Accelerator will support SME digital health businesses develop pioneering health care technology specifically for the NHS.

Supporting 30 small digital health businesses a year over an initial three-year period, the accelerator will assist successful organisations in navigating the labyrinthine structures and regulatory intricacies of the NHS, as well as giving them opportunities to showcase their technology in hospitals.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and delivered by Guy’s & St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust, the accelerator will operate through the Health Innovation Network, UCLPartners, Imperial College Healthcare Partners, CW+, MedCity and the Digital Catapult.

Neil Crockett, Chief Executive Officer at the Digital Catapult, a tech company which promotes data sharing between UK companies and a key contributor in the scheme, said: “This programme is all about facilitating open innovation, collaboration and creating breakthroughs to help solve some of the biggest challenges faced by the healthcare industry.

“We will be supporting some of the highest potential digital health startups and SMEs on developing open innovation, how to make better use of data sharing and supporting them in delivering the digital health products and services that meet the needs of the health and social care system.”

Dr Tony Newman-Sanders, Consultant Radiologist and Chief Clinical Information Officer, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, believes digital innovations are vital to ensuring the long-term viability of the UK’s health service.

He commented: “This is a really exciting time to be involved in healthcare in this country, but we will not be able to continue to improve quality of health and care whilst maintaining financial sustainability without a great deal of innovation and we need to work together.

“Clinicians need to recognise that they have as much to learn from digital professionals as vice versa, and innovators need to be aware that it is all very well developing a product to solve a solution, but is that problem big enough to get the attention of the person you are trying to sell it to?”

Applications are now open for digital health SMEs, who have until the 25 April to apply for a spot on the first cohort of 30 businesses.

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