Propel@YH’s Demo Day for participants next Wednesday 31 March

Propel@YH, the Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network (Yorkshire & Humber AHSN) program organized to support digital health companies, will have a virtual Demo Day this coming Wednesday 31 March. The 2020-2021 cohort presenting could be called the ‘COVID Class’, as the program starting last October was focused on supporting the healthcare sector during the ongoing pandemic.  

Here are the finalists presenting on Wednesday:

  • Co-Opts ltd; a smart speaker for automated recording, transcription and summarisation of therapy sessions
  • CyberLiver Ltd; remote monitoring of at-risk cirrhosis patients using wearables and an app
  • I.M.M.E; a VR experience created to support Williams syndrome, supporting isolation, rehab mobility and mental health
  • Liria Digital Health; a technological solution addressing the health and wellbeing of perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal people.
  • My Food 24; an online food diary system which automates the diet tracking and analysis process
  • SeeAI; a platform that supports early fracture diagnosis through x-ray images
  • Ufonia Ltd; an AI-enabled accessible clinical assistant called Dora that can conduct an intelligent clinical conversation via a regular voice telephone call
  • Vastmindz; an AI face analysis app to measure real-time heart and respiration rates, oxygen saturation, stress level, blood pressure and atrial fibrillation risk
  • Warner Patch; a non-invasive, wearable wireless (using 2G network) sensor that predicts tissue health disease evolution using AI for clinicians to give preventive care, improve patient outcome and save care costs
  • Written Medicine; a pharmacy label and discharge summary translation system, that works across 11 different languages

The 15 AHSNs like Yorkshire & Humber function as innovation arms of the NHS and act as a bridge between health care providers, commissioners, academia, and industry. Joining the AHSN are the University of Leeds’ innovation hub, Nexus (academic and SME support); Barclays Eagle Labs (incubator network); law firm Hill Dickinson LLP; and Leeds City Council.

Register for the presentation via Eventbrite here. (Time 0900-1130 GMT)  Hat tip to Ellis Noble of KC Communications

Propel@YH digital health accelerator open now for applications to 24 September (UK)

The Yorkshire & Humber AHSN (Academic Health Science Networks) returns for a second year with Propel@YH, their regional digital health accelerator program.

We will cut to the chase and the key dates

Applications Open – Thursday 6th Aug 09:00
Webinar – 2nd September 13:00 GMT
Applications Close – Thursday 24th September 23:59
Assessment Starts – Monday 28th September
Assessment day – Friday 9th October
Cohort Launch – Friday 16th October
Programme commences – Monday 26th October

While Propel is regional, the program’s objective is to attract global applicants who are interested in solutions for the Yorkshire & Humber area. Backing it is the University of Leeds and the Leeds City Council. The accelerator will provide advisory, guidance, and supportive services, enabling digital health solutions to accelerate their growth and market presence in the longer term. An example is masterclasses on how to build clinical safety cases, develop evidence-based proposals, and understanding procurement in the NHS.

What companies accepted for the 2020 cohort will engage with:

  • How the NHS works – an introduction to the health system in England
  • Clinical safety by design – how to design in clinical safety throughout the digital development process
  • Making the grade – how to develop your digital product to meet the requirements of the NHS Digital Tools library
  • Digital by design – how to implement a human-centred design approach to developing digital products and services
  • NASSS Framework assessment clinic
  • Building the evidence base – how to develop a benefits realisation case and generate evidence that really counts
  • Understanding procurement in the NHS – find out from the experts about how procurement works in the NHS
  • Cohort-defined learning clinics

For more information on the program, content providers, partners, and applying–start here. Download application here

Tender Alert: NHS England, London South Bank, Univ. of Leeds, NHS Digital, Halifax, Healthy New Towns

We have a specially wrapped and large present from Susanne Woodman, our Eye on Tenders. Some are high value, all have short deadlines, so read up!

  • NHS England: This is through the NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit and is for a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the procurement of online consultation systems. It is for a little over two years starting January 2018 and valued at £45 million. Closing is 29 December. Details at Gov.UK.
  • London South Bank University: This is for a Summative Assessment (Evaluation) of Simulation for Digital Health (SimDH). This would result in three reports to delivered electronically to be reviewed by the project team (LSBU) and project funders (GLA & ERDF). This is deadlined on Thursday 14 December, but an inquiry on this might invite further dialogue. Value is £13k. Gov.UK
  • University of Leeds: This is for an app specification and design, to engage participants in clinical trials, to thank and build relationships with these 600,000+ people in the UK. Again, an early close of 20 December, valued at £100k – £500k. Gov.UK
  • NHS Digital: The De-identification Project will implement a strategic approach to de-identifying data flowing into or out of NHS Digital or requiring linkage with NHS Digital data. Status is ‘open early engagement’ which means they are judging interest from potential suppliers. Another early closing of 18 December. Gov.UK
  • Borough of Calderdale, Halifax: Seeking provision of a community alarm and mobile response service; comprising of a community alarm – call monitoring centre, mobile response, and the installation of various pieces of assistive technology, carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors. The contract is for 36 months with extension up to 24 months. Value excluding VAT: £2,250, 000. Deadline is 10 January 2018. TED
  • NHS England–Healthy New Towns: This program is to support a vision of healthcare in a Healthy New Town. Responses should include: rationale for system transformation, key challenges and priorities for the healthcare sector, barriers to implementation and overcoming them, and the role of the Healthy New Towns programme in NHS England’s Five Year Forward View and Business Plan. This NHS England link may not work, so see attached PDF for requirements (thanks Susanne!). Deadline is 19 January 2018. Here’s more on it: 
    • As set out in the Specification of Requirements, the desired outcomes of the Healthy New Towns programme and the guidance are that: (A) Neighbourhoods, town and cities built in England after 2019 have:
      • populations with reduced levels of preventable disease;
      • communities with improved health and wellbeing; and
      • health and social care provision that is more effective and better for users
      (B) The guidance that this commission helps deliver has played a major role in achieving the above, because:
      • the guide and the process of developing it have built momentum and support; and
      • the guide collates good practice and shares it in a compelling, highly useable way.

      In a context of pressure on the NHS caused by preventable disease and changing demographics, how, in your role as New Care Models support partner for the Healthy New Towns programme, will you help us achieve these outcomes?

Playing games, using apps, promoting wellbeing – RSM event summary (UK)

This is a brief summary of the main points made at an event on medical apps held at the Royal Society of Medicine on 10th April 2014.

First up was Prof Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre of Public Health at NICE who spoke about how apps could change behaviour. He described what he called “system 1”, the rational reflective system that he associated with Apollo, and “system” 2 the impulsive automatic system that he associated with Dionysus. System 1 is most often targeted by behaviour change, however most people find thinking hard so spend most of their time in system 2 mode, so it is  much more effective to “nudge” the automatic system 2, if you can.

Humans are relational creatures, not billiard balls, so (more…)

AKTIVE Conference 2014

Technology, Care and Ageing: Enhancing Independence

8-9 April, University of Leeds, UK

Sponsored by AKTIVE, a project that started at the University of Leeds’ Centre for Care, Labour and Equalities (CIRCLE) in 2011, next week’s conference it is focused on understanding the impact telecare technology has on the everyday lives of older people who are prone to falls or who suffer from cognitive impairments (including dementia) and the people who support them to live at home. AKTIVE 2014 brings together researchers, industry, voluntary sector and local authorities interested in the role of telecare and other technologies in supporting older people at home. Our Contributing Editor Charles Lowe will be presenting on Wednesday the 9th, 11:15am – 12:30pm, on ‘How Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Monitoring is at last coming of age’ as part of a Forward Vision for Telecare. Full program. Information and registration (may still be available–we are checking)