The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate is investing £10 million in the Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Institute (DHCI) to help boost digital innovation in heatlhcare.

Established in 2013, DHCI is a collaboration between the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Strathclyde. It employs experts in service development, product design and technology to work alongside universities, colleges, manufacturers in addition to the NHS, charities and other health and social care organisations.

Over the past five years, DHCI has gained more than 60 project partners and worked on more than 120 projects. These collaborative projects research innovative ways to handle illness and provide better health care.

Recommended

• Comment: Dear CISOs, Automate DevSecOps or Die
• Work-based Learning is Essential For the Future of Fintech
• Bright Future Ahead as CAE Technology Services Taps into Scottish Tech Sector

One project, which is carried out in cooperation with the University of Abertay, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Macmillan, utilises artificial intelligence (AI) to predict the services needed by a cancer patient.

Digital Health & Care Institute CEO, professor George Crooks OBE, said: “I welcome the decision by the Scottish Funding Council and Scottish Government to continue to invest in the DHI.

“Scotland is recognised as being an international leader in digital health and care innovation which not only benefits the people of Scotland by securing new and improved health and care services that are fit for the future but benefits the economy of Scotland by creating opportunities for Scottish businesses and generates inward investment into our country.”

Further and Higher Education Minister, Richard Lochhead, said: “Our culture of innovation in health and care is rightly recognised on the world stage.

“This funding of up to £10 million will help further the vital work of the Digital Health and Care Institute to harness data and technology, with benefits for people all over the world.

“By creating and fostering links between academia, public services and industry we can drive progress towards Scotland’s national aims as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

Scottish Funding Council CEO, Karen Watt, said: “The Digital Health and Care Institute is unique in its ability to bring together world-leading industry and academic expertise and direct their efforts towards real-world challenges in caring for people’s health and wellbeing.

“It has an outstanding record of finding the right partners, supporting collaboration and being genuinely innovative.”