Dozens of healthcare innovators pitched their ideas to a ‘Dragon’s Den’-style panel at Oxford’s new digital health hub.
The best six will now be tested further to see if they can bring real benefits to the NHS.
In total 38 people outlined their proposals to harness digital innovation for better healthcare in front of the six judges at the John Radcliffe Hospital on 22 September.
This was the latest of a series of launch events organised by The Hill. Between June and September these brought together more than 400 people with an interest in digital health innovation, ranging from frontline staff within the NHS through to computer and software developers and digital health companies.
The judging panel at the latest event included:
- Nick Edwards, Director, MedInnovate and Chair of Oxford Academic Health Science Network Wealth Creation Oversight Group
- Dr Sian Rees, Director of Patient & Public Involvement, Engagement and Experience, Oxford AHSN
- Dave Fletcher, MD of White October
- Peter Knight, the new Chief Information & Digital Officer at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH)
- Dr Joe McManners, Clinical Chair of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG)
- Dr Dan Leveson, Head of Strategy, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (OH).
The best idea selected by the panel was presented by John Willan, a haematologist at OUH who has developed a web-based programme to improve management and quality of life of patients with severe haemophilia.
The other finalists were:
- Locum’s Nest – Mobile phone app to match locums through local hospital banks
- Medimentor – Mobile phone app to match medical students with relevant mentors in particular specialist fields
- AMI project – online community website to align volunteers with vulnerable people
- Signly – a BSL mobile phone sign language interpreter app
- ERAS project – support app and website for patients following elective surgery.
The Hill team will now work with OUH, OH and OCCG to look at implementing these and other digital health projects where they can bring real benefits to patients.
The Hill is Oxford’s new digital healthcare ideas lab for patients, carers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs and others, providing support and inspiration in solving today’s big healthcare challenges. It is backed by the Oxford Academic Health Science Network, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Digital Health Oxford.
The next phase is a free three month pre-incubator programme. Apply here by 16 October.
Complete The Hill feedback survey here
Summary of the four previous The Hill workshops, June-September 2016
Workshop 1 – Wednesday 22 June 2016 (105 attendees)
The focus of this workshop was to introduce the Hill project and showcase examples of successful digital health projects that have been linked within the John Radcliffe Hospital, allowing people to network together.
Workshop 2 – Wednesday 13 July 2016 (63 attendees)
This workshop was focussed on being a “speed-dating” event to allow people who have ideas to network and link with people who have particular skills in order to support development of ideas into reality.
Workshop 3 – Wednesday 10th August 2016 (75 attendees)
This workshop was focussed on “Building Digital Health Applications” and gave a series of lectures on different aspects of building a mobile phone application and the computer coding that is involved in development.
Workshop 4 – Thursday 4th August 2016 (78 attendees)
This workshop was focussed on “Funding Opportunities to progress your digital product” where there were presentations on different aspects of funding opportunities within digital health, particularly looking at the early stage start-up opportunities.