Digital Health and Care Awards celebrate Scottish technology expertise

The Digital Health and Care Awards has marked its seventh anniversary tonight in the Scottish capital.

Blackwood was recognised for delivering one of the largest digital healthcare artificial intelligence (AI) programmes in the UK involving more than 400 people across 50 projects, engaging over 40 partners from the NHS and securing more than £25m in research and innovation since 2019.

Run by Holyrood communications, the event saw James Blackwood, iCAIRD’s chief technical officer and NHS Programme Manager wins the digital leader award.

Held at the Edinburgh’s InterContinental the George, the ceremony had award-winning journalist Pennie Taylor took over the hosting duties.

The event was sponsored by data technology provider, InterSystems.

It’s judging panel formed by clinical lead for digital health and care at the Scottish Government Professor Lesley Holdsworth, chief officer for The ALLIANCE Sara Redmon, chief executive for TEC Services Association Alyson Scurflied, chief executive for Scottish Care Doctor Donald Macaskill and InterSystems’ head of sales for Scotland Charles King.

Taylor said: “It’s wonderful to see all the hard work that’s going into developing digital solutions for the health and social care challenges we face in Scotland. My warmest congratulations to tonight’s winners and everyone whose been shortlists.”

People Know How took home the digital inclusion award for its grassroots collaboration. Its Reconnect Services was rewarded for providing resources and digital tools to bridge the digital divide.

The technology enabled independent living award went to Bield Housing & Care for its Technology for our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (TAPPI2). A pioneering initiative tackling digital inequalities and empowering the ageing population to use technology.

iCAIRD was awarded the data-driven innovation awards. A £25m initiative that has advanced the application of artificial intelligence into healthcare, engaging more than 40 partners from the NHS, academia, and industry. The consortium has also delivered the largest pathology implementation in the UK, with its facilities providing access to over 2.5m cellular images, to build its pathology AI solutions in a simulated clinical environment.

The industry collaboration award went CGI IT UK Ltd for its SBC social work transformation programme, which has transformed how the Scottish Borders Council delivers front line services to locals. The programme has empowered more than 350 front-line staff, by boosting efficiency through live, dynamic scheduling and routing. 

The Scottish Government took home the digital service transformation award for its connect me digital blood pressure programme and NHS Education or Scotland was awarded the digital health and care team award for its digitally enabled workforce team.

Sponsored by the Scottish Government and COSLA, the latter works to upskill the health and social care workforce to enable transformational change.