HISES Newsletter
September 2026 Newsletter
Welcome to our monthly newsletter! Formed through a collaboration of three NHS Boards (Borders, Fife and Lothian, with Lothian as lead host Board), HISES has a pivotal role in delivering innovative solutions to the health and social challenges, both regionally and nationally.
September 2026 Newsletter
01
HISES news
Welcome back after the summer, plus milestones for two innovators HISES has worked with.
Welcome back after summer!
We hope you’ve had a chance to switch off, recharge and enjoy some well-earned time away this summer.
As we head into the autumn season, we’re looking forward to getting back to connecting people, sharing ideas and supporting innovation across health and care in South East Scotland.
And a big welcome to everyone who has joined our newsletter over the summer!
Whether you’re already part of our innovation community or you’re completely new to HISES, our newsletter is a great way to keep up with what’s happening across the region.
Expect monthly updates on:
Health and care innovation
New partnerships and collaborations
Innovation projects and testbeds
Funding and opportunities
Events, workshops and webinars
News and stories from our innovation community
So, grab your cuppa, settle back into the post-summer routine and let’s see what the next few months bring.
Welcome back, and welcome to our new subscribers!
AI physiotherapy service cleared for all community pathways
A year ago, Flok Health’s platform became the first AI system to achieve medical device approval for fully autonomous healthcare delivery, meaning they can diagnostically assess, treat, and discharge back pain patients in an end-to-end care pathway with no requirement for human clinician involvement.
They are thrilled to announce that they have successfully expanded their Class IIa certification to autonomous management of all MSK and pelvic health pathways, now covering the full scope of community physiotherapy presentations!
This is a hugely important milestone in their mission to democratise world-class healthcare as more than half of all adults suffer from at least one MSK or pelvic health condition. HISES and NHS Lothian have collaborated with Flok Health over the past 3 years on service evaluation and clinical validation of the product’s utility within existing NHS pathways in Scotland.
A huge congratulations to the Flok Health team on reaching this important milestone. This has been a substantial piece of work, and one that promises to make a meaningful difference to patients and the care they receive.
MyWay Digital Health scores 95% in ORCHA review
We’re delighted to share that MyWay Digital Health (MWDH), co‑founded by Cohort 5 Clinical Entrepreneur Dr Debbie Wake, has been named the best chronic disease management and prevention platform for diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and obesity.
The platform achieved an outstanding 95% score in the ORCHA Baseline Review, earning an “incredible” performance rating. ORCHA highlighted that the score reflects “a product that takes clinical safety, data protection and usability seriously, and one that healthcare professionals and patients can trust.”
Debbie shared how proud she is of this achievement and paid tribute to her team’s dedication. A 95% ORCHA Baseline Review provides independent assurance of the clinical, data, usability and professional standards underpinning MyWay Diabetes. At the time of publication, it also makes MyWay Diabetes the highest-scoring app on the ORCHA platform.
HISES worked with MWDH during an Inpatient Diabetes SBRI funded by the Chief Scientist Office in Scottish Government to develop an app prototype that supports clinical decision making and identifies patients at risk during their hospital stay.
Congratulations to Debbie and the MyWay Digital Health team on this exceptional recognition and the continued impact they’re making!
01
HISES news
Welcome back after the summer, plus milestones for two innovators HISES has worked with.
Welcome back after summer!
We hope you’ve had a chance to switch off, recharge and enjoy some well-earned time away this summer.
As we head into the autumn season, we’re looking forward to getting back to connecting people, sharing ideas and supporting innovation across health and care in South East Scotland.
And a big welcome to everyone who has joined our newsletter over the summer!
Whether you’re already part of our innovation community or you’re completely new to HISES, our newsletter is a great way to keep up with what’s happening across the region.
Expect monthly updates on:
Health and care innovation
New partnerships and collaborations
Innovation projects and testbeds
Funding and opportunities
Events, workshops and webinars
News and stories from our innovation community
So, grab your cuppa, settle back into the post-summer routine and let’s see what the next few months bring.
Welcome back, and welcome to our new subscribers!
AI physiotherapy service cleared for all community pathways
A year ago, Flok Health’s platform became the first AI system to achieve medical device approval for fully autonomous healthcare delivery, meaning they can diagnostically assess, treat, and discharge back pain patients in an end-to-end care pathway with no requirement for human clinician involvement.
They are thrilled to announce that they have successfully expanded their Class IIa certification to autonomous management of all MSK and pelvic health pathways, now covering the full scope of community physiotherapy presentations!
This is a hugely important milestone in their mission to democratise world-class healthcare as more than half of all adults suffer from at least one MSK or pelvic health condition. HISES and NHS Lothian have collaborated with Flok Health over the past 3 years on service evaluation and clinical validation of the product’s utility within existing NHS pathways in Scotland.
A huge congratulations to the Flok Health team on reaching this important milestone. This has been a substantial piece of work, and one that promises to make a meaningful difference to patients and the care they receive.
MyWay Digital Health scores 95% in ORCHA review
We’re delighted to share that MyWay Digital Health (MWDH), co‑founded by Cohort 5 Clinical Entrepreneur Dr Debbie Wake, has been named the best chronic disease management and prevention platform for diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and obesity.
The platform achieved an outstanding 95% score in the ORCHA Baseline Review, earning an “incredible” performance rating. ORCHA highlighted that the score reflects “a product that takes clinical safety, data protection and usability seriously, and one that healthcare professionals and patients can trust.”
Debbie shared how proud she is of this achievement and paid tribute to her team’s dedication. A 95% ORCHA Baseline Review provides independent assurance of the clinical, data, usability and professional standards underpinning MyWay Diabetes. At the time of publication, it also makes MyWay Diabetes the highest-scoring app on the ORCHA platform.
HISES worked with MWDH during an Inpatient Diabetes SBRI funded by the Chief Scientist Office in Scottish Government to develop an app prototype that supports clinical decision making and identifies patients at risk during their hospital stay.
Congratulations to Debbie and the MyWay Digital Health team on this exceptional recognition and the continued impact they’re making!
01
HISES news
Welcome back after the summer, plus milestones for two innovators HISES has worked with.
Welcome back after summer!
We hope you’ve had a chance to switch off, recharge and enjoy some well-earned time away this summer.
As we head into the autumn season, we’re looking forward to getting back to connecting people, sharing ideas and supporting innovation across health and care in South East Scotland.
And a big welcome to everyone who has joined our newsletter over the summer!
Whether you’re already part of our innovation community or you’re completely new to HISES, our newsletter is a great way to keep up with what’s happening across the region.
Expect monthly updates on:
Health and care innovation
New partnerships and collaborations
Innovation projects and testbeds
Funding and opportunities
Events, workshops and webinars
News and stories from our innovation community
So, grab your cuppa, settle back into the post-summer routine and let’s see what the next few months bring.
Welcome back, and welcome to our new subscribers!
AI physiotherapy service cleared for all community pathways
A year ago, Flok Health’s platform became the first AI system to achieve medical device approval for fully autonomous healthcare delivery, meaning they can diagnostically assess, treat, and discharge back pain patients in an end-to-end care pathway with no requirement for human clinician involvement.
They are thrilled to announce that they have successfully expanded their Class IIa certification to autonomous management of all MSK and pelvic health pathways, now covering the full scope of community physiotherapy presentations!
This is a hugely important milestone in their mission to democratise world-class healthcare as more than half of all adults suffer from at least one MSK or pelvic health condition. HISES and NHS Lothian have collaborated with Flok Health over the past 3 years on service evaluation and clinical validation of the product’s utility within existing NHS pathways in Scotland.
A huge congratulations to the Flok Health team on reaching this important milestone. This has been a substantial piece of work, and one that promises to make a meaningful difference to patients and the care they receive.
MyWay Digital Health scores 95% in ORCHA review
We’re delighted to share that MyWay Digital Health (MWDH), co‑founded by Cohort 5 Clinical Entrepreneur Dr Debbie Wake, has been named the best chronic disease management and prevention platform for diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and obesity.
The platform achieved an outstanding 95% score in the ORCHA Baseline Review, earning an “incredible” performance rating. ORCHA highlighted that the score reflects “a product that takes clinical safety, data protection and usability seriously, and one that healthcare professionals and patients can trust.”
Debbie shared how proud she is of this achievement and paid tribute to her team’s dedication. A 95% ORCHA Baseline Review provides independent assurance of the clinical, data, usability and professional standards underpinning MyWay Diabetes. At the time of publication, it also makes MyWay Diabetes the highest-scoring app on the ORCHA platform.
HISES worked with MWDH during an Inpatient Diabetes SBRI funded by the Chief Scientist Office in Scottish Government to develop an app prototype that supports clinical decision making and identifies patients at risk during their hospital stay.
Congratulations to Debbie and the MyWay Digital Health team on this exceptional recognition and the continued impact they’re making!
02
Funding and opportunities
Eleven funding calls, programmes, fellowships and a vacancy for innovators, researchers and NHS staff.
Research opportunities with the NIHR Associate PI Scheme
As doctors in training settle into their new roles which started this August, it is a timely opportunity to highlight the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme.
While the scheme provides a valuable opportunity for medical trainees, it’s important to remember that it is open to all healthcare professionals, including nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, pharmacists and doctors in training.
Lothian is proud to support the six-month, in-work training programme, which provides hands-on experience in clinical research. Since 2020, 116 participants have completed the scheme locally, with a further 25 currently active and 184 registered studies offering opportunities across a wide range of specialties.
NIHR welcome more colleagues to join the scheme. If you are involved in a study, check that it is registered, and please encourage interested colleagues to consider applying. For further information, visit the NIHR Associate PI Scheme webpage or contact local programme champions Jo Merrifield or Julia Boyd.
Shape the future of healthcare innovation: apply for the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme
Do you have an idea that could improve healthcare, enhance services, or make a meaningful difference? Apply to the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme and join one of our three entrepreneurial initiatives.
Join a pioneering community of forward-thinkers in the NHS through the CEP. Delivered by Anglia Ruskin University, this transformative programme is the UK’s largest entrepreneurial workforce development initiative for NHS staff.
For over a decade, the programme has supported more than 1,800 entrepreneurs, helped create over 650 start‑ups, and generated 5,184 jobs across the UK economy. This growing impact reflects a thriving community of innovators, problem‑solvers, and creative thinkers who are driving change across the health system.
Open to all NHS staff, both clinical and non‑clinical, the CEP provides access to CPD‑accredited entrepreneurial education, real‑world learning opportunities, and commercial skills that help accelerate ideas from concept to impact. Participants gain access to expert mentoring, industry engagement, and the chance to develop solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges facing healthcare today.
Applications open on Monday, 19th October 2026!
CivTech Round 12 has launched
CivTech Round 12 has now launched, with six new challenges and £5.7 million of innovation funding available. Applications are open until 12 noon on Tuesday, 20th October 2026.
Public sector organisations have come to CivTech with real problems they need help solving. If you think you can help tackle one of them, they’d love to hear from you. Anyone can apply, and you do not need to be a registered business to submit an application. Successful applicants receive funding and support to develop and test their solution.
Follow CivTech on social media to see the new Challenges and read their Get Ready for CivTech Round 12 blog for application tips.
Research Data Scotland announces funding for Scottish SMEs
Research Data Scotland has launched a funding opportunity for Scottish SMEs interested in using health data to develop data-driven products and services. Through the Private Sector Accelerator Awards, eligible organisations can apply for a waiver of data preparation and analysis costs of up to £60,000 per project. Projects could explore areas such as AI-driven disease prediction, cancer prognosis and survival prediction, or synthetic data.
The initiative supports Scotland’s ambition to grow its life sciences sector to £25 billion by 2035.
The Expression of Interest form is now available and will remain open for submissions until the end of September.
NIHR NICE rolling funding opportunity
The Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Programme is inviting outline applications to this funding opportunity. The programme is interested in receiving applications to meet recommendations in research identified in NICE guidance that has been published or updated during the last 5 years.
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) aim to commission high quality, well designed research which will be carried out by effective and efficient research teams, providing findings which meet the needs of NHS and social care managers and leaders. Applications must be within the remit of the HSDR Programme and the primary outcome measure must be health related.
Closing date for applications is Thursday, 19th November 2026.
NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI
The NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI provides practical experience to its fellows through placements in real-world deployments of AI tools in NHS host sites.
They are currently accepting project proposals to host AI fellows for 2 days a week from August 2027 to August 2028.
Why it matters
The Fellowship is recognised in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan as a flagship programme for building clinical AI capability, directly supporting the ambition to make the NHS the most AI-enabled workforce in the world by 2035.
Get involved
Project proposals are open for an August 2027 start (Cohort 6). Submissions close on Sunday, 1st November 2026.
UNITE’s Second Open Call is live
UNITE are thrilled to launch their Second Open Call for Joint Interregional Projects, open from Thursday, 10th September 2026 with a total budget of €6 million.
This is your opportunity to take proven digital health technologies from development through to international scaling, backed by significant funding and a pan-European network. This call zeroes in on two urgent priorities.
1. Deep-tech innovations to secure equal health for the entire population
UNITE are looking for solutions that address inequalities in access to healthcare, fragmented services, technological disparities and gaps in personalised care, particularly for elderly and disadvantaged populations.
2. Digital innovations to battle the health workforce crisis
The call will support technologies that can help alleviate staff shortages, improve clinical and organisational workflows, reduce administrative burdens, and strengthen training and skills development.
The opportunity is aimed at startups, SMEs, research and innovation organisations and other digital health actors based in Lombardy, Central Macedonia, Romania, Extremadura, Scotland, Wales and Aragón.
A total budget of €6 million is available, with up to six projects expected to receive funding. Projects can receive up to €1 million, while funding for an individual beneficiary is capped at €600,000, subject to applicable regional conditions.
Projects will run for 18 months.
To help you prepare, UNITE are hosting an online Information Session on Wednesday, 30th September (14:00 to 15:30 CET).
Don’t miss this chance to shape the future of European healthcare!
Causality in Healthcare AI (CHAI) Events and Workshop Funding Call
The CHAI Hub’s Events and Workshops Fund supports academic researchers to organise their own interdisciplinary events designed to drive collaboration and advance the application of causal AI in healthcare.
The events organised should aim to connect the academic community with the NHS, industry leaders, regulators, and the public to address critical healthcare challenges. Events should seek to generate outcomes that will benefit patients, caregivers, clinicians, and a wide range of healthcare stakeholders.
CHAI accepts and reviews all applications on a rolling basis. The funded event must take place by 30th June 2027.
CHAI Hub Secondment Call: Round 1
Causality in Healthcare AI (CHAI) Hub are inviting researchers to apply for funding to collaborate, facilitate knowledge transfer and develop new skills, through a short-term secondment.
These secondments will support the CHAI Hub in our mission to co-create and apply causal AI methods to tackle key healthcare challenges, benefiting patients, caregivers, clinicians, and other stakeholders.
The overall purpose of the secondment funding opportunity is to support skills development and knowledge exchange between academia and industry, public and third sector in the area of causal AI in healthcare.
Funding details:
Total fund for Round 1: around £50,000
Funding: 80% fEC (in line with EPSRC guidance)
Duration: up to 3 months (full-time or part-time equivalent to 3 months full-time), ending by 31st December 2026)
Location: in the UK. Secondments can be completed either fully onsite or via hybrid working.
Help shape the future of innovation in accelerated cancer diagnosis
Innovate UK is seeking individuals with applied and professional expertise in cancer diagnostic technologies and devices to become Assessors for the ‘Advancing innovation in accelerated cancer diagnosis’ competition as part of the Office for Life Sciences’ Cancer Healthcare Goals Programme.
The Cancer Healthcare Goals Programme, delivered as part of the wider Office for Life Sciences Healthcare Goals initiative, aims to maximise and direct global industrial investment for the development and acceleration of new cancer diagnostic and therapeutic technologies and devices in the UK.
Who they are looking for:
Innovate UK welcome assessors with experience relating to early cancer diagnosis and detection across the following areas:
clinical validation
evaluation studies, particularly health economic studies
early phase clinical trials
safety and efficacy testing
technology demonstration in relevant and operational environments
regulatory planning and product development activities.
Vacancy: Clinical Advisor, Radiology
The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) has an exciting opportunity for a Radiology Clinical Lead as part of Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) Pathway to provide professional expertise specific to the development, design and delivery of the Chest X-ray Artificial Intelligence (CXR AI) Service Evaluation.
The Programme will establish a redesigned service delivery model comprising both CXR AI worklist prioritisation and a national reporting team to review all AI-flagged high-risk CXRs following primary care referral within 24 hours and follow up CT scan within 72 hours. By integrating designated reporting capacity with AI-enabled prioritisation, the Programme will assess whether this combined model delivers measurable benefits, including speeding up lung cancer diagnosis and improving performance relating to the 62-day cancer standard in a real-world NHS Scotland setting.
The successful candidate will currently be a registered healthcare professional working in a clinical role within Radiology. You will be able to act authoritatively as a change agent, displaying the highest professional standards, with experience of working with executive and senior managers across NHS Scotland.
The post is available for up to 26 months at 0.2 WTE / 2 sessions per week.
This is a rare opportunity to engage in a high-profile area of work that requires passionate, motivated and value driven individuals who will confidently support the delivery of measurable improvements in care to patients across all of Scotland. If you like a challenge and are committed to supporting complex projects in partnership with a wide variety of stakeholders, then we want to hear from you.
02
Funding and opportunities
Eleven funding calls, programmes, fellowships and a vacancy for innovators, researchers and NHS staff.
Research opportunities with the NIHR Associate PI Scheme
As doctors in training settle into their new roles which started this August, it is a timely opportunity to highlight the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Associate Principal Investigator (PI) Scheme.
While the scheme provides a valuable opportunity for medical trainees, it’s important to remember that it is open to all healthcare professionals, including nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, pharmacists and doctors in training.
Lothian is proud to support the six-month, in-work training programme, which provides hands-on experience in clinical research. Since 2020, 116 participants have completed the scheme locally, with a further 25 currently active and 184 registered studies offering opportunities across a wide range of specialties.
NIHR welcome more colleagues to join the scheme. If you are involved in a study, check that it is registered, and please encourage interested colleagues to consider applying. For further information, visit the NIHR Associate PI Scheme webpage or contact local programme champions Jo Merrifield or Julia Boyd.
Shape the future of healthcare innovation: apply for the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme
Do you have an idea that could improve healthcare, enhance services, or make a meaningful difference? Apply to the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme and join one of our three entrepreneurial initiatives.
Join a pioneering community of forward-thinkers in the NHS through the CEP. Delivered by Anglia Ruskin University, this transformative programme is the UK’s largest entrepreneurial workforce development initiative for NHS staff.
For over a decade, the programme has supported more than 1,800 entrepreneurs, helped create over 650 start‑ups, and generated 5,184 jobs across the UK economy. This growing impact reflects a thriving community of innovators, problem‑solvers, and creative thinkers who are driving change across the health system.
Open to all NHS staff, both clinical and non‑clinical, the CEP provides access to CPD‑accredited entrepreneurial education, real‑world learning opportunities, and commercial skills that help accelerate ideas from concept to impact. Participants gain access to expert mentoring, industry engagement, and the chance to develop solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges facing healthcare today.
Applications open on Monday, 19th October 2026!
CivTech Round 12 has launched
CivTech Round 12 has now launched, with six new challenges and £5.7 million of innovation funding available. Applications are open until 12 noon on Tuesday, 20th October 2026.
Public sector organisations have come to CivTech with real problems they need help solving. If you think you can help tackle one of them, they’d love to hear from you. Anyone can apply, and you do not need to be a registered business to submit an application. Successful applicants receive funding and support to develop and test their solution.
Follow CivTech on social media to see the new Challenges and read their Get Ready for CivTech Round 12 blog for application tips.
Research Data Scotland announces funding for Scottish SMEs
Research Data Scotland has launched a funding opportunity for Scottish SMEs interested in using health data to develop data-driven products and services. Through the Private Sector Accelerator Awards, eligible organisations can apply for a waiver of data preparation and analysis costs of up to £60,000 per project. Projects could explore areas such as AI-driven disease prediction, cancer prognosis and survival prediction, or synthetic data.
The initiative supports Scotland’s ambition to grow its life sciences sector to £25 billion by 2035.
The Expression of Interest form is now available and will remain open for submissions until the end of September.
NIHR NICE rolling funding opportunity
The Health and Social Care Delivery Research (HSDR) Programme is inviting outline applications to this funding opportunity. The programme is interested in receiving applications to meet recommendations in research identified in NICE guidance that has been published or updated during the last 5 years.
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) aim to commission high quality, well designed research which will be carried out by effective and efficient research teams, providing findings which meet the needs of NHS and social care managers and leaders. Applications must be within the remit of the HSDR Programme and the primary outcome measure must be health related.
Closing date for applications is Thursday, 19th November 2026.
NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI
The NHS Fellowship in Clinical AI provides practical experience to its fellows through placements in real-world deployments of AI tools in NHS host sites.
They are currently accepting project proposals to host AI fellows for 2 days a week from August 2027 to August 2028.
Why it matters
The Fellowship is recognised in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan as a flagship programme for building clinical AI capability, directly supporting the ambition to make the NHS the most AI-enabled workforce in the world by 2035.
Get involved
Project proposals are open for an August 2027 start (Cohort 6). Submissions close on Sunday, 1st November 2026.
UNITE’s Second Open Call is live
UNITE are thrilled to launch their Second Open Call for Joint Interregional Projects, open from Thursday, 10th September 2026 with a total budget of €6 million.
This is your opportunity to take proven digital health technologies from development through to international scaling, backed by significant funding and a pan-European network. This call zeroes in on two urgent priorities.
1. Deep-tech innovations to secure equal health for the entire population
UNITE are looking for solutions that address inequalities in access to healthcare, fragmented services, technological disparities and gaps in personalised care, particularly for elderly and disadvantaged populations.
2. Digital innovations to battle the health workforce crisis
The call will support technologies that can help alleviate staff shortages, improve clinical and organisational workflows, reduce administrative burdens, and strengthen training and skills development.
The opportunity is aimed at startups, SMEs, research and innovation organisations and other digital health actors based in Lombardy, Central Macedonia, Romania, Extremadura, Scotland, Wales and Aragón.
A total budget of €6 million is available, with up to six projects expected to receive funding. Projects can receive up to €1 million, while funding for an individual beneficiary is capped at €600,000, subject to applicable regional conditions.
Projects will run for 18 months.
To help you prepare, UNITE are hosting an online Information Session on Wednesday, 30th September (14:00 to 15:30 CET).
Don’t miss this chance to shape the future of European healthcare!
Causality in Healthcare AI (CHAI) Events and Workshop Funding Call
The CHAI Hub’s Events and Workshops Fund supports academic researchers to organise their own interdisciplinary events designed to drive collaboration and advance the application of causal AI in healthcare.
The events organised should aim to connect the academic community with the NHS, industry leaders, regulators, and the public to address critical healthcare challenges. Events should seek to generate outcomes that will benefit patients, caregivers, clinicians, and a wide range of healthcare stakeholders.
CHAI accepts and reviews all applications on a rolling basis. The funded event must take place by 30th June 2027.
CHAI Hub Secondment Call: Round 1
Causality in Healthcare AI (CHAI) Hub are inviting researchers to apply for funding to collaborate, facilitate knowledge transfer and develop new skills, through a short-term secondment.
These secondments will support the CHAI Hub in our mission to co-create and apply causal AI methods to tackle key healthcare challenges, benefiting patients, caregivers, clinicians, and other stakeholders.
The overall purpose of the secondment funding opportunity is to support skills development and knowledge exchange between academia and industry, public and third sector in the area of causal AI in healthcare.
Funding details:
Total fund for Round 1: around £50,000
Funding: 80% fEC (in line with EPSRC guidance)
Duration: up to 3 months (full-time or part-time equivalent to 3 months full-time), ending by 31st December 2026)
Location: in the UK. Secondments can be completed either fully onsite or via hybrid working.
Help shape the future of innovation in accelerated cancer diagnosis
Innovate UK is seeking individuals with applied and professional expertise in cancer diagnostic technologies and devices to become Assessors for the ‘Advancing innovation in accelerated cancer diagnosis’ competition as part of the Office for Life Sciences’ Cancer Healthcare Goals Programme.
The Cancer Healthcare Goals Programme, delivered as part of the wider Office for Life Sciences Healthcare Goals initiative, aims to maximise and direct global industrial investment for the development and acceleration of new cancer diagnostic and therapeutic technologies and devices in the UK.
Who they are looking for:
Innovate UK welcome assessors with experience relating to early cancer diagnosis and detection across the following areas:
clinical validation
evaluation studies, particularly health economic studies
early phase clinical trials
safety and efficacy testing
technology demonstration in relevant and operational environments
regulatory planning and product development activities.
Vacancy: Clinical Advisor, Radiology
The Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) has an exciting opportunity for a Radiology Clinical Lead as part of Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) Pathway to provide professional expertise specific to the development, design and delivery of the Chest X-ray Artificial Intelligence (CXR AI) Service Evaluation.
The Programme will establish a redesigned service delivery model comprising both CXR AI worklist prioritisation and a national reporting team to review all AI-flagged high-risk CXRs following primary care referral within 24 hours and follow up CT scan within 72 hours. By integrating designated reporting capacity with AI-enabled prioritisation, the Programme will assess whether this combined model delivers measurable benefits, including speeding up lung cancer diagnosis and improving performance relating to the 62-day cancer standard in a real-world NHS Scotland setting.
The successful candidate will currently be a registered healthcare professional working in a clinical role within Radiology. You will be able to act authoritatively as a change agent, displaying the highest professional standards, with experience of working with executive and senior managers across NHS Scotland.
The post is available for up to 26 months at 0.2 WTE / 2 sessions per week.
This is a rare opportunity to engage in a high-profile area of work that requires passionate, motivated and value driven individuals who will confidently support the delivery of measurable improvements in care to patients across all of Scotland. If you like a challenge and are committed to supporting complex projects in partnership with a wide variety of stakeholders, then we want to hear from you.
03
Sector news and insights
Regulatory milestones, a national rollout, new research results and resources from across health and care innovation.
TORTUS reaches major regulatory milestone
TORTUS, the AI-powered clinical assistant founded by Dr Pimenta, has reached a significant milestone with its recognition as a Class IIa medical device. This is an important step in demonstrating that its technology has met the regulatory requirements needed to support safe use in healthcare.
The achievement marks a new chapter for TORTUS, but it is also the culmination of a much longer journey that began with a clinician identifying a challenge on the frontline and asking how technology could help.
The rapid growth of AI in healthcare has created enormous opportunities, but adoption depends on confidence from clinicians, patients and healthcare organisations.
For more information about TORTUS visit their innovation page and see their news coverage on their website.
Operating theatre scheduling platform completes Scotland-wide rollout
An operating theatre scheduling platform has been rolled out across all health boards in Scotland, paving the way for significant NHS productivity enhancements across the country.
Infix, which optimises the scheduling of surgical theatres, improving efficiency and productivity, and recovering lost theatre capacity, is now live in 14 regional health boards and the NHS Golden Jubilee hospital in Glasgow.
Dr Matthew Freer, CEO and co-founder of Infix, said: “Our technology gives NHS Scotland nationwide coverage with a system designed by clinicians and built inside the NHS to fix one of its most persistent problems, namely operating theatre capacity lost to inefficient scheduling.”
AI-powered healthcare innovations showcased at Glasgow Tech Week
AI tools that transcribe clinical notes in real-time and can detect lung cancer from x-rays are among the healthcare innovations showcased at this year’s Glasgow Tech Week.
The SWIFT-lung study, with partners including the University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, was showcased at the West of Scotland Innovation Hub’s ‘translation for impact: medtech, data and innovation’ event. The study is exploring how artificial intelligence can support the detection of lung cancer through chest X-rays, helping clinicians identify suspicious findings more quickly and improving opportunities for earlier diagnosis.
Also featured at the event was the growing role for AI-powered ambient voice technologies. The technology has the potential to reduce administrative burdens by automatically generating clinical notes from consultations, allowing healthcare professionals to spend more time focused on patient care.
Dr Katriona Brooksbank, Regional Head of Innovation for the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, which is hosted by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said:
“It was fantastic to bring together so many of our clinical, digital, commercial, academic and government colleagues as part of Glasgow Tech Week and showcase the strength of our innovation ecosystem.
Healthcare innovation can be complex, involving many different organisations, skills and areas of expertise. Events like this help demonstrate what’s possible when those partners come together and, importantly, provide practical advice and connections for anyone looking to develop the next generation of healthcare solutions.
Many people are familiar with one part of the innovation landscape, but what the event really highlighted was the depth and breadth of expertise available across our region. From medical devices and data-driven technologies to artificial intelligence and digital health, we are creating opportunities to turn promising ideas into innovations that can benefit patients, support our workforce and strengthen the NHS for the future.”
The event brought together experts from across healthcare, research, government and industry to showcase successful innovation projects and provide practical routes for future collaboration.
Explore the UNITEd Digital Health Service Catalogue
If you’re building, supporting or investing in digital health and innovation how much time are you losing simply trying to find the right ecosystem partners?
The UNITEd Service Catalogue brings together 75 start-up support, living lab and tested services into one access point and helps digital health startups find organisations that can support the development, testing, and scaling of their solutions. You can browse and filter services such as coaching, funding support, innovation programmes, and real-world testing environments including living labs and testbeds.
Spinout Prothea presents first in-human study results
Cancer therapy company Prothea Technologies, a spinout of the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Regeneration and Repair, has presented first in-human trial results demonstrating the potential for its imaging technology to provide molecular guidance during bronchoscopy.
Dr Susan Bodie, Director of Innovation Development and Licensing at Edinburgh Innovations, said: “It’s extremely encouraging to see these initial results from Prothea’s in-human study. Lung cancer deaths remain horribly high due to late diagnosis, so being able to detect and treat at the same time could be game-changing.
“We’re proud to have supported the development of Prothea’s technologies through many years of translational research, collaboration, IP protection and company formation, as well as providing ongoing support through Old College Capital, the University’s venture investment fund. We look forward to continuing to follow the team’s progress through the clinical development pipeline.”
Podcast series: Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) funded projects
The THCS project team invite you to listen to the third episode in their podcast series, which spotlight several of the THCS funded projects. THCS core activity is the funding of research and innovation projects through joint transnational calls involving a large number of Research and Innovation Funding Organisations on common priorities and topics.
The third episode of the THCS podcast series features DADAP Project. Together with their guests Dr Diana-Sabina Vieru, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and PhD student in Pharmacology at CEMEX, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași, Romania, and Dr Tomas Olsson, Senior Researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, they discuss how DADAP is developing digital solutions to modernise the psychiatric diagnostic assessment process.
The conversation explores how automation, digital technologies and clinical expertise can support more timely, consistent and person-centred mental healthcare, while also addressing key challenges around usability, ethics, trust and integration into routine clinical practice.
Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or the THCS Knowledge Hub.
03
Sector news and insights
Regulatory milestones, a national rollout, new research results and resources from across health and care innovation.
TORTUS reaches major regulatory milestone
TORTUS, the AI-powered clinical assistant founded by Dr Pimenta, has reached a significant milestone with its recognition as a Class IIa medical device. This is an important step in demonstrating that its technology has met the regulatory requirements needed to support safe use in healthcare.
The achievement marks a new chapter for TORTUS, but it is also the culmination of a much longer journey that began with a clinician identifying a challenge on the frontline and asking how technology could help.
The rapid growth of AI in healthcare has created enormous opportunities, but adoption depends on confidence from clinicians, patients and healthcare organisations.
For more information about TORTUS visit their innovation page and see their news coverage on their website.
Operating theatre scheduling platform completes Scotland-wide rollout
An operating theatre scheduling platform has been rolled out across all health boards in Scotland, paving the way for significant NHS productivity enhancements across the country.
Infix, which optimises the scheduling of surgical theatres, improving efficiency and productivity, and recovering lost theatre capacity, is now live in 14 regional health boards and the NHS Golden Jubilee hospital in Glasgow.
Dr Matthew Freer, CEO and co-founder of Infix, said: “Our technology gives NHS Scotland nationwide coverage with a system designed by clinicians and built inside the NHS to fix one of its most persistent problems, namely operating theatre capacity lost to inefficient scheduling.”
AI-powered healthcare innovations showcased at Glasgow Tech Week
AI tools that transcribe clinical notes in real-time and can detect lung cancer from x-rays are among the healthcare innovations showcased at this year’s Glasgow Tech Week.
The SWIFT-lung study, with partners including the University of Glasgow and NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, was showcased at the West of Scotland Innovation Hub’s ‘translation for impact: medtech, data and innovation’ event. The study is exploring how artificial intelligence can support the detection of lung cancer through chest X-rays, helping clinicians identify suspicious findings more quickly and improving opportunities for earlier diagnosis.
Also featured at the event was the growing role for AI-powered ambient voice technologies. The technology has the potential to reduce administrative burdens by automatically generating clinical notes from consultations, allowing healthcare professionals to spend more time focused on patient care.
Dr Katriona Brooksbank, Regional Head of Innovation for the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, which is hosted by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said:
“It was fantastic to bring together so many of our clinical, digital, commercial, academic and government colleagues as part of Glasgow Tech Week and showcase the strength of our innovation ecosystem.
Healthcare innovation can be complex, involving many different organisations, skills and areas of expertise. Events like this help demonstrate what’s possible when those partners come together and, importantly, provide practical advice and connections for anyone looking to develop the next generation of healthcare solutions.
Many people are familiar with one part of the innovation landscape, but what the event really highlighted was the depth and breadth of expertise available across our region. From medical devices and data-driven technologies to artificial intelligence and digital health, we are creating opportunities to turn promising ideas into innovations that can benefit patients, support our workforce and strengthen the NHS for the future.”
The event brought together experts from across healthcare, research, government and industry to showcase successful innovation projects and provide practical routes for future collaboration.
Explore the UNITEd Digital Health Service Catalogue
If you’re building, supporting or investing in digital health and innovation how much time are you losing simply trying to find the right ecosystem partners?
The UNITEd Service Catalogue brings together 75 start-up support, living lab and tested services into one access point and helps digital health startups find organisations that can support the development, testing, and scaling of their solutions. You can browse and filter services such as coaching, funding support, innovation programmes, and real-world testing environments including living labs and testbeds.
Spinout Prothea presents first in-human study results
Cancer therapy company Prothea Technologies, a spinout of the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Regeneration and Repair, has presented first in-human trial results demonstrating the potential for its imaging technology to provide molecular guidance during bronchoscopy.
Dr Susan Bodie, Director of Innovation Development and Licensing at Edinburgh Innovations, said: “It’s extremely encouraging to see these initial results from Prothea’s in-human study. Lung cancer deaths remain horribly high due to late diagnosis, so being able to detect and treat at the same time could be game-changing.
“We’re proud to have supported the development of Prothea’s technologies through many years of translational research, collaboration, IP protection and company formation, as well as providing ongoing support through Old College Capital, the University’s venture investment fund. We look forward to continuing to follow the team’s progress through the clinical development pipeline.”
Podcast series: Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS) funded projects
The THCS project team invite you to listen to the third episode in their podcast series, which spotlight several of the THCS funded projects. THCS core activity is the funding of research and innovation projects through joint transnational calls involving a large number of Research and Innovation Funding Organisations on common priorities and topics.
The third episode of the THCS podcast series features DADAP Project. Together with their guests Dr Diana-Sabina Vieru, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and PhD student in Pharmacology at CEMEX, Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași, Romania, and Dr Tomas Olsson, Senior Researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, they discuss how DADAP is developing digital solutions to modernise the psychiatric diagnostic assessment process.
The conversation explores how automation, digital technologies and clinical expertise can support more timely, consistent and person-centred mental healthcare, while also addressing key challenges around usability, ethics, trust and integration into routine clinical practice.
Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or the THCS Knowledge Hub.
04
Events
Webinars, workshops, showcases and awards to put in your diary from September to December.
Calling all leaders! Digital Mindset Sessions: book your place
Join the next round of Digital Mindset Session for Leaders, designed for those leading across health and social care, including social work, housing, charities, the third sector, and beyond.
Whatever your leadership role, you’ll gain the mindset and tools to lead digital transformation in your own organisation, using national tools and frameworks to help you along the way.
Find out more about the session on the Leading in the Digital Age Site.
What’s Included?
Part 1: On-Demand Learning (45 mins)
Explore what it means to be a leader in the digital age. Learn how digital is more than just technology: it’s a collaborative way of working. Topics include:
What is a digital mindset?
Case studies of user-centred transformation
Introduction to the Scottish Approach to Service Design
Part 2: Live Interactive Session (2.5 hours)
Dive deeper into digital thinking and service design with expert facilitators and your peers from across the sector. You’ll explore:
Recap and discussion of Part 1
Service design principles and prototyping
What a digitally enabled organisation looks like
National tools and resources
Register here for upcoming dates →
Health Research from Home webinar: using digital health data to support early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease
In this webinar on Wednesday, 16th September, 1pm to 2pm, Professor Allan Lawrie will explore how digital health data can support earlier diagnosis of rare diseases, specifically in the field of rare cardiovascular disease. Drawing on collaborations with Stanford University through the My Heart Counts app, Allan will discuss the potential of combining continuous wearable data with healthcare records.
He will share key lessons learned from model development and validation, including why promising models may fail to generalise across different populations and how differences in control groups can influence performance. Allan will also present current work being conducted in parallel in the United States and the United Kingdom, including the development of a cross-platform digital health research infrastructure that integrates data from Android and iOS devices, as well as wearable technologies such as Oura, Fitbit, and Withings.
Through the inclusion of ECG data, raw sensor data and general PPG, this research aims to develop some generalizable, translatable models not just for early detection but also remote monitoring.
NHS Data: Case Studies in Development and Access
NHS Data and its associated electronic health records are vital to the work of many health data researchers, but present many challenges in terms of accessibility, governance, and data linkage. This webinar on Monday, 21st September will highlight three examples of innovative health data research using NHS data and local electronic health records. They will cover both how NHS Data has informed important research and how NHS datasets have been developed for access by researchers.
Medical Research Council (MRC) Charity Co-Funding Framework webinars
The Medical Research Council (MRC) Charity Co-Funding Framework is hosting two informational webinars, one for charities and another one for the research community. As a reminder, UKRI research grants, including Medical Research Council grants, are open to NHS Bodies with research capacity.
MRC sees strong value in working with charities to bring patient and public priorities closer to research, extend the reach and impact of our funding, and connect researchers with specialist expertise and networks.
They are launching a new charity co-funding framework developed in collaboration with the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC).
The new framework makes it easier for charities to co-fund research awards across a broad range of MRC schemes and changes will take effect between October and December 2026
Tune into the charities webinar on Wednesday, 23rd September and the research community webinar on Monday, 5th October 2026 from 11am to 12pm.
To register to attend one of the webinars please book here.
Boost your skills: short courses in Health Economics
Health economics is still seen as a bit of a dark art by some, but it is increasingly important in clinical research, funding applications and communicating the value of research. This session on Wednesday, 23rd September will introduce the key concepts behind health economic evaluation, the motivation for undertaking health economics in a climate of resource scarcity and describe briefly a few of the philosophical debates in health economics at the moment which are particularly relevant to early career clinical researchers.
Course objectives
By the end of this course, you will learn how to:
obtain a good overview of the major theoretical and practical approaches to health economics in the UK;
understand the relationship between clinical trials and health economics, and between health economics and clinical implementation on the ground;
‘know what you don’t know’: understand when and where speaking to a health economist might be valuable.
Mindset-XR Innovation in Mental Health Roadshow: Scotland
Register below for the Mindset-XR Innovation in Mental Health Roadshow, bringing together innovators, clinicians, researchers, health and care professionals, academics and people with lived experience to explore the growing role of XR in mental health.
The free, full-day event on Thursday, 1st October will explore:
The latest evidence on the impact of XR in mental health
Real-world examples of XR being used across clinical, community and educational settings
Opportunities and challenges around adoption and scaling
Emerging research, evaluation and future innovation opportunities
How organisations can assess, commission and implement credible XR solutions
Importantly, there will be opportunities to experience XR in action, with hands-on demonstrations showcasing a range of immersive technologies supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Whether you’re working in health and care, research, education, innovation, technology or the voluntary and community sector, this is a great opportunity to learn, connect and explore what’s next for immersive mental health innovation.
A Practical Guide to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research
This half-day workshop delivered by Clinical Research Facility on Thursday, 1st October will introduce you to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research and give you a basic understanding of what PPI in clinical research is all about. Topics covered on this course include:
What do we mean by ‘Patient and Public Involvement’
Why do PPI?
How to put together a PPI plan (for a funding application or existing project)
Where to find public partners
How to build trust and sustainable relationships
How to work with under-served groups
Budgeting for PPI
Tips for success
The workshop provides an excellent opportunity to understand the practical aspects of involving patients and members of the public in research. Course attendees will have the opportunity to try some PPI design and plenty of time for questions and discussion.
This course will be delivered via MS Teams.
Heriot-Watt’s Healthy Ageing Showcase 2026
The global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies is delighted to invite you to our Healthy Ageing Showcase, an event dedicated to the research that promotes health and wellbeing as we age.
Building on the successful format of the 2024 Healthy Ageing Showcase, this year’s event will once again bring together researchers, industry partners, clinicians, third sector organisations, policymakers, and people with lived experience to explore innovative solutions that support healthier, more independent lives as we age. The 2024 showcase attracted more than 200 participants and highlighted the power of collaboration in addressing the opportunities and challenges of an ageing population.
🗓 Wednesday, 7th October 2026 | ⏰ 1.30pm to 5pm | 📍 Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Campus
The event will open with remarks from Professor Chris Turney, Deputy Principal for Research and Impact, setting the scene for an engaging programme of keynote presentations, research showcases and collaborative discussions. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from leading voices across health, care and innovation, explore research posters, experience demonstrations of emerging health and care technologies, and engage with a range of interactive stands.
A key feature of the afternoon will be dedicated networking time, providing opportunities to connect with academics, industry representatives, clinicians, third sector organisations, community groups and individuals with lived experience. Together, these diverse perspectives will help shape the future of healthy ageing research and innovation.
Whether you are interested in developing new partnerships, discovering pioneering technologies, influencing research priorities, or learning about the latest advances in healthy ageing, this showcase offers a valuable opportunity to engage with a growing community committed to improving quality of life across the lifespan.
Rehab Robotics Workshop: Clinical & Community Practice
The National Robotarium are hosting a free, hands-on workshop exploring the latest developments in rehabilitation robotics on Thursday, 15th October.
Meet industry experts from Thor Assistive Technologies, experience advanced rehabilitation technologies first-hand, hear real-world insights from practitioners, and explore how robotic-assisted therapies are being integrated into healthcare settings. Whether you’re an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, rehabilitation specialist or healthcare innovator, this workshop offers practical insight and valuable networking opportunities.
Event supported by Heriot-Watt University‘s Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies.
Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme (DLP) Autumn Sessions
The upcoming Autumn Sessions, open to all current and past participants of the Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme (DLP) and their colleagues, are now available to book.
Digital & Data Capability Assessment: Frameworks, Tools, and Insights
Thursday, 22nd October, 13:00 to 14:00
This session will explore how individuals, teams and organisations can measure digital and data capabilities using the Digital and Data Capability Framework, Self-Assessment Tool and Organisation Dashboards. It will highlight how these tools can help identify strengths and gaps, inform development priorities and support a more targeted approach to building digital and data capability.
MS Forms and Power Automate: What can they do? Part 1
Monday, 16th November, 11:00 to 12:00
This introductory session will explore what Microsoft Forms and Power Automate can do and how they can be used to simplify everyday tasks and processes. We’ll look at examples to demonstrate how the tools can help you collect information, automate workflows and reduce manual effort, giving you ideas for how they could be used in your own team or organisation.
MS Forms and Power Automate into Practice, Part 2
Wednesday, 18th November, 11:00 to 12:00
Building on the introductory session, this practical session will explore how Microsoft Forms and Power Automate could be used in real-world scenarios. We’ll look at how the two tools can work together to create simple automated processes, with practical demonstrations to help you build confidence and start applying these tools to your own work.
This session is aimed at individuals who are already familiar with Microsoft Forms and Power Automate. If you have not come across or used Microsoft Forms and Power Automate before, it is important that you attend Part 1 of this series.
NHS researchers and academics invited to explore drive for better multimorbidity collaboration
NHS Research Scotland (NRS) specialities are uniting to host an event in Edinburgh exploring the effective delivery of collaborative clinical trials which could help offset the growing challenge of multimorbidity
On Monday, 26th October, NRS specialties Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Renal and Metabolic will come together to discuss partnerships to support the design and delivery of more bespoke and integrated Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic (CVRM) research programmes.
Multimorbidity, which is the co-occurrence of two or more long-term chronic conditions in a single individual, places huge strain on the healthcare system. CVRM research focuses on how diseases like heart failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes, and obesity interact and share biological root causes, helping to move research and treatment away from single disease silos.
Find out more and register to attend →
Usher Connects and EMS300 event
Join colleagues from the Usher Institute at The University of Edinburgh, for a special Usher Connects and Edinburgh Medical School 300 event exploring the past, present and future of population health sciences, followed by a distinguished guest lecture from Professor George Davey Smith, University of Bristol on Tuesday, 3rd November 2026 in the Usher Building, The University of Edinburgh.
The morning session will explore the evolution of population health sciences, today’s research, and how we can shape the future of the field. Following lunch with poster presentations, Professor George Davey Smith will deliver the afternoon’s distinguished lecture, examining questions of causality, infection and non-communicable diseases. The day will feature conversations, panel discussions and opportunities to get involved, with audience questions and discussion throughout. You are welcome to attend the full programme, join either session individually, or stay for lunch and view the posters between the two sessions.
Celebrate the best of Scotland’s public services
Nominations are open for Holyrood’s Scottish Public Service Awards, now in their 13th year.
Behind every great public service is a person, team or idea that made it happen, often without recognition. This is your chance to change that, and celebrate the dedication, innovation and compassion driving Scotland’s public sector forward.
Shortlisted nominees will be invited to an awards ceremony on Wednesday, 9th December, in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament, hosted in partnership with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament.
04
Events
Webinars, workshops, showcases and awards to put in your diary from September to December.
Calling all leaders! Digital Mindset Sessions: book your place
Join the next round of Digital Mindset Session for Leaders, designed for those leading across health and social care, including social work, housing, charities, the third sector, and beyond.
Whatever your leadership role, you’ll gain the mindset and tools to lead digital transformation in your own organisation, using national tools and frameworks to help you along the way.
Find out more about the session on the Leading in the Digital Age Site.
What’s Included?
Part 1: On-Demand Learning (45 mins)
Explore what it means to be a leader in the digital age. Learn how digital is more than just technology: it’s a collaborative way of working. Topics include:
What is a digital mindset?
Case studies of user-centred transformation
Introduction to the Scottish Approach to Service Design
Part 2: Live Interactive Session (2.5 hours)
Dive deeper into digital thinking and service design with expert facilitators and your peers from across the sector. You’ll explore:
Recap and discussion of Part 1
Service design principles and prototyping
What a digitally enabled organisation looks like
National tools and resources
Register here for upcoming dates →
Health Research from Home webinar: using digital health data to support early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease
In this webinar on Wednesday, 16th September, 1pm to 2pm, Professor Allan Lawrie will explore how digital health data can support earlier diagnosis of rare diseases, specifically in the field of rare cardiovascular disease. Drawing on collaborations with Stanford University through the My Heart Counts app, Allan will discuss the potential of combining continuous wearable data with healthcare records.
He will share key lessons learned from model development and validation, including why promising models may fail to generalise across different populations and how differences in control groups can influence performance. Allan will also present current work being conducted in parallel in the United States and the United Kingdom, including the development of a cross-platform digital health research infrastructure that integrates data from Android and iOS devices, as well as wearable technologies such as Oura, Fitbit, and Withings.
Through the inclusion of ECG data, raw sensor data and general PPG, this research aims to develop some generalizable, translatable models not just for early detection but also remote monitoring.
NHS Data: Case Studies in Development and Access
NHS Data and its associated electronic health records are vital to the work of many health data researchers, but present many challenges in terms of accessibility, governance, and data linkage. This webinar on Monday, 21st September will highlight three examples of innovative health data research using NHS data and local electronic health records. They will cover both how NHS Data has informed important research and how NHS datasets have been developed for access by researchers.
Medical Research Council (MRC) Charity Co-Funding Framework webinars
The Medical Research Council (MRC) Charity Co-Funding Framework is hosting two informational webinars, one for charities and another one for the research community. As a reminder, UKRI research grants, including Medical Research Council grants, are open to NHS Bodies with research capacity.
MRC sees strong value in working with charities to bring patient and public priorities closer to research, extend the reach and impact of our funding, and connect researchers with specialist expertise and networks.
They are launching a new charity co-funding framework developed in collaboration with the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC).
The new framework makes it easier for charities to co-fund research awards across a broad range of MRC schemes and changes will take effect between October and December 2026
Tune into the charities webinar on Wednesday, 23rd September and the research community webinar on Monday, 5th October 2026 from 11am to 12pm.
To register to attend one of the webinars please book here.
Boost your skills: short courses in Health Economics
Health economics is still seen as a bit of a dark art by some, but it is increasingly important in clinical research, funding applications and communicating the value of research. This session on Wednesday, 23rd September will introduce the key concepts behind health economic evaluation, the motivation for undertaking health economics in a climate of resource scarcity and describe briefly a few of the philosophical debates in health economics at the moment which are particularly relevant to early career clinical researchers.
Course objectives
By the end of this course, you will learn how to:
obtain a good overview of the major theoretical and practical approaches to health economics in the UK;
understand the relationship between clinical trials and health economics, and between health economics and clinical implementation on the ground;
‘know what you don’t know’: understand when and where speaking to a health economist might be valuable.
Mindset-XR Innovation in Mental Health Roadshow: Scotland
Register below for the Mindset-XR Innovation in Mental Health Roadshow, bringing together innovators, clinicians, researchers, health and care professionals, academics and people with lived experience to explore the growing role of XR in mental health.
The free, full-day event on Thursday, 1st October will explore:
The latest evidence on the impact of XR in mental health
Real-world examples of XR being used across clinical, community and educational settings
Opportunities and challenges around adoption and scaling
Emerging research, evaluation and future innovation opportunities
How organisations can assess, commission and implement credible XR solutions
Importantly, there will be opportunities to experience XR in action, with hands-on demonstrations showcasing a range of immersive technologies supporting mental health and wellbeing.
Whether you’re working in health and care, research, education, innovation, technology or the voluntary and community sector, this is a great opportunity to learn, connect and explore what’s next for immersive mental health innovation.
A Practical Guide to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research
This half-day workshop delivered by Clinical Research Facility on Thursday, 1st October will introduce you to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research and give you a basic understanding of what PPI in clinical research is all about. Topics covered on this course include:
What do we mean by ‘Patient and Public Involvement’
Why do PPI?
How to put together a PPI plan (for a funding application or existing project)
Where to find public partners
How to build trust and sustainable relationships
How to work with under-served groups
Budgeting for PPI
Tips for success
The workshop provides an excellent opportunity to understand the practical aspects of involving patients and members of the public in research. Course attendees will have the opportunity to try some PPI design and plenty of time for questions and discussion.
This course will be delivered via MS Teams.
Heriot-Watt’s Healthy Ageing Showcase 2026
The global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies is delighted to invite you to our Healthy Ageing Showcase, an event dedicated to the research that promotes health and wellbeing as we age.
Building on the successful format of the 2024 Healthy Ageing Showcase, this year’s event will once again bring together researchers, industry partners, clinicians, third sector organisations, policymakers, and people with lived experience to explore innovative solutions that support healthier, more independent lives as we age. The 2024 showcase attracted more than 200 participants and highlighted the power of collaboration in addressing the opportunities and challenges of an ageing population.
🗓 Wednesday, 7th October 2026 | ⏰ 1.30pm to 5pm | 📍 Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Campus
The event will open with remarks from Professor Chris Turney, Deputy Principal for Research and Impact, setting the scene for an engaging programme of keynote presentations, research showcases and collaborative discussions. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from leading voices across health, care and innovation, explore research posters, experience demonstrations of emerging health and care technologies, and engage with a range of interactive stands.
A key feature of the afternoon will be dedicated networking time, providing opportunities to connect with academics, industry representatives, clinicians, third sector organisations, community groups and individuals with lived experience. Together, these diverse perspectives will help shape the future of healthy ageing research and innovation.
Whether you are interested in developing new partnerships, discovering pioneering technologies, influencing research priorities, or learning about the latest advances in healthy ageing, this showcase offers a valuable opportunity to engage with a growing community committed to improving quality of life across the lifespan.
Rehab Robotics Workshop: Clinical & Community Practice
The National Robotarium are hosting a free, hands-on workshop exploring the latest developments in rehabilitation robotics on Thursday, 15th October.
Meet industry experts from Thor Assistive Technologies, experience advanced rehabilitation technologies first-hand, hear real-world insights from practitioners, and explore how robotic-assisted therapies are being integrated into healthcare settings. Whether you’re an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, rehabilitation specialist or healthcare innovator, this workshop offers practical insight and valuable networking opportunities.
Event supported by Heriot-Watt University‘s Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies.
Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme (DLP) Autumn Sessions
The upcoming Autumn Sessions, open to all current and past participants of the Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme (DLP) and their colleagues, are now available to book.
Digital & Data Capability Assessment: Frameworks, Tools, and Insights
Thursday, 22nd October, 13:00 to 14:00
This session will explore how individuals, teams and organisations can measure digital and data capabilities using the Digital and Data Capability Framework, Self-Assessment Tool and Organisation Dashboards. It will highlight how these tools can help identify strengths and gaps, inform development priorities and support a more targeted approach to building digital and data capability.
MS Forms and Power Automate: What can they do? Part 1
Monday, 16th November, 11:00 to 12:00
This introductory session will explore what Microsoft Forms and Power Automate can do and how they can be used to simplify everyday tasks and processes. We’ll look at examples to demonstrate how the tools can help you collect information, automate workflows and reduce manual effort, giving you ideas for how they could be used in your own team or organisation.
MS Forms and Power Automate into Practice, Part 2
Wednesday, 18th November, 11:00 to 12:00
Building on the introductory session, this practical session will explore how Microsoft Forms and Power Automate could be used in real-world scenarios. We’ll look at how the two tools can work together to create simple automated processes, with practical demonstrations to help you build confidence and start applying these tools to your own work.
This session is aimed at individuals who are already familiar with Microsoft Forms and Power Automate. If you have not come across or used Microsoft Forms and Power Automate before, it is important that you attend Part 1 of this series.
NHS researchers and academics invited to explore drive for better multimorbidity collaboration
NHS Research Scotland (NRS) specialities are uniting to host an event in Edinburgh exploring the effective delivery of collaborative clinical trials which could help offset the growing challenge of multimorbidity
On Monday, 26th October, NRS specialties Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Renal and Metabolic will come together to discuss partnerships to support the design and delivery of more bespoke and integrated Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic (CVRM) research programmes.
Multimorbidity, which is the co-occurrence of two or more long-term chronic conditions in a single individual, places huge strain on the healthcare system. CVRM research focuses on how diseases like heart failure, chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes, and obesity interact and share biological root causes, helping to move research and treatment away from single disease silos.
Find out more and register to attend →
Usher Connects and EMS300 event
Join colleagues from the Usher Institute at The University of Edinburgh, for a special Usher Connects and Edinburgh Medical School 300 event exploring the past, present and future of population health sciences, followed by a distinguished guest lecture from Professor George Davey Smith, University of Bristol on Tuesday, 3rd November 2026 in the Usher Building, The University of Edinburgh.
The morning session will explore the evolution of population health sciences, today’s research, and how we can shape the future of the field. Following lunch with poster presentations, Professor George Davey Smith will deliver the afternoon’s distinguished lecture, examining questions of causality, infection and non-communicable diseases. The day will feature conversations, panel discussions and opportunities to get involved, with audience questions and discussion throughout. You are welcome to attend the full programme, join either session individually, or stay for lunch and view the posters between the two sessions.
Celebrate the best of Scotland’s public services
Nominations are open for Holyrood’s Scottish Public Service Awards, now in their 13th year.
Behind every great public service is a person, team or idea that made it happen, often without recognition. This is your chance to change that, and celebrate the dedication, innovation and compassion driving Scotland’s public sector forward.
Shortlisted nominees will be invited to an awards ceremony on Wednesday, 9th December, in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament, hosted in partnership with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament.
05
Stay connected
Follow HISES on LinkedIn, find the latest funding and send us your news.
HISES LinkedIn
HISES are on LinkedIn! Keep up to date with the latest news from the South East Innovation Hub and wider innovation ecosystem in Scotland via our LinkedIn page.
Latest funding opportunities
Check out all the latest health and care funding opportunities from across the sector on the funding section of our website.
Connect with HISES
Keep up to date with our latest news and follow us on LinkedIn. To feed back or submit content for our e-newsletter, email us before the last Friday of each month. If you like our newsletter, share it with colleagues, friends or family who would benefit from knowing what is going on in the world of innovation in health and care.
05
Stay connected
Follow HISES on LinkedIn, find the latest funding and send us your news.
HISES LinkedIn
HISES are on LinkedIn! Keep up to date with the latest news from the South East Innovation Hub and wider innovation ecosystem in Scotland via our LinkedIn page.
Latest funding opportunities
Check out all the latest health and care funding opportunities from across the sector on the funding section of our website.
Connect with HISES
Keep up to date with our latest news and follow us on LinkedIn. To feed back or submit content for our e-newsletter, email us before the last Friday of each month. If you like our newsletter, share it with colleagues, friends or family who would benefit from knowing what is going on in the world of innovation in health and care.
Never miss an issue
Get the HISES newsletter in your inbox each month: news from the hub, funding calls and events from across health and care innovation.