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Frequently Asked Questions 

Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.

 

We understand that navigating the world of digital health and social care innovation can raise many questions.

 

This page is designed to provide clear, concise answers to the most common queries about our who we are, what we do and how we can support you. If your question isn't covered, please don't hesitate to email us – we're here to help.

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) defines digital health and social care innovation as the strategic application of technological advancements to empower individuals to more effectively track, manage, monitor, and enhance their health and care.

  • "Digitising social care" refers to converting information into a digital format (e.g. converting a piece of paper into a PDF).

     

    In the example of social care, it would be the converting of all paper-based patient information into a digital format such as a Word document or PDF.


    "Digitalising social care" refers to the process of using digital technologies to enhance, streamline, and improve social care services.

     

    This includes implementing electronic health records, digital care plans, remote monitoring, telehealth, mobile apps for caregivers and patients, and other digital tools to increase efficiency, accessibility, and quality of care provided to individuals in need of social services.

     

    The aim is to make social care more responsive, personalised, and integrated with healthcare systems."

  • "Digitising” is a better-known term than “digitalising”.

     

    Digitising refers to converting information into a digital format (e.g., converting a piece of paper into a PDF). 


    “Digitalising”, however, is used to refer to transforming processes and services into a digital format (like doing banking online). 


    DHI uses the distinction detailed on the Oracle website.

  • From reducing potentially harmful variation in clinical practice and avoiding clinical errors to driving efficiency and effectiveness in delivering health and social care services, digital technologies can support the transformation of health and social care services to be more personalised and focused on the real needs of individuals. 


    This can only be achieved through the user-centred design of services and the input of digital tools and services that can support those tasked with delivering care but also work directly for the individual and their families requiring health or care support. 


    Digital technology can support prevention, predict the risk of illness and aid early diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

     

    The potential of digital technology is only limited by our imagination and willingness to invest in research and innovation.

  • Digital technologies are tools, systems and devices that can generate, create, store or process data. 


    They help us in many aspects of our lives - helping us to learn, communicate, play and importantly to make better health and well-being choices and deliver safe, effective and more personalised healthcare.

  • Scotland's first Digital Health and Care Strategy was published in 2018.

     

    It was a bold and ambitious strategy that recognised the health and well-being of the people of Scotland can, and should, be enhanced and transformed through the use of digital technology. 


    In October 2021 an updated Digital Health and Care Strategy was published, to build on and embed the rapid advances that have been made, and to focus on enhancing and enabling citizens’ access not only to services but to their health and care data as well. 


    The six key priorities covering Digital Access, Digital Services, Digital Foundations, Digital Skills and Leadership, Digital Futures and Data-Driven Innovation are supported by an annual delivery plan.


    For more details, you can access the strategy and delivery plan using the following links:

  • The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is committed to long-term infrastructure investments in the National Innovation Centre programme.

     

    The investments aim to create transformational collaborations between universities; colleges; and the public and private sector.


    Innovation Centres connect Scotland’s academic expertise with industry and with public and third-sector organisations to create economic and societal benefits.

     

    They also support skills and training to develop the next generation of researchers and knowledge exchange practitioners through master’s and post-doctoral level provision.


    SFC initially committed up to £155 million for innovation centres between 2013-23.

     

    The infrastructure investment approach represents a further significant, long-term, investment of up to £8m per annum across four infrastructure innovation centres.


    The 4 innovation centres are:

    For more information visit the Scottish Funding Council website.

  • Digital transformation is changing the way health and social care services are being delivered, creating efficiencies, and extending the reach and range of types of services on offer while giving service users more independence and greater control of their care generally. 


    Successful digital transformation of health and social care requires not only an appropriately skilled workforce but also users who can access these services digitally. 


    Everyone working in health and social care requires some level of digital capability, but the proficiency requirements will differ according to each job role. 


    With digital transformation, new job roles and new digital skills requirements are continuously emerging in the health and social care sectors.

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) collaborates with industry, health and care providers, academia and education providers, wider public sector services and citizens to co-design person-centred digital health and social care solutions.

     

    DHI believes Research and Innovation (R&I) in digital health and social care creates sustainable services and develops future skills, helping Scotland’s people live longer and healthier lives and enabling the economy to flourish to meet global needs.

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) works with health, care and housing partners, and has a specific focus on smart housing and smart communities as part of our work Rural Centre of Excellence (RCE) for Digital Health and Care Innovation in the Moray Region, as part of the Moray Growth Deal.

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) offers the following services:

    • An internal research and knowledge management service, which is available to provide (paid for) support to external project work in digital health and care, depending on availability. 

    • Different levels of support depend on the stage of your innovation journey. For opportunities that are closer to market and/ or are more aligned with our strategic priorities, we can deliver DHI Advisor Surgeries, Consortium Development support, Problem definition workshops, Design innovation workshops, Access to our Demonstration and Simulation Environment, and Consultation and Support from our technical team. 

    • Project and Programme management support, drawing on best practice methodologies such as PRINCE II, Agile and MSP.

  • DHI's unique Innovation Process Model encapsulates everything we do to support Research & Innovation (R&I).

     

    It focuses on 5 key stages with a learn and share element that runs through all stages:​​

    1. Explore & engage

    2. Initiate & develop

    3. Iterate & scale

    4. Embed & adopt

    5. Commercialise

     

    The model is underpinned by a range of core capabilities and expert knowledge built upon a foundation of experience in the health and social care context.

     

    DHI combines world-class digital health and social care expertise, design innovation, research and knowledge exchange. 

     

    We utilise the quadruple helix model to empower and connect people/ citizens and organisations to collaborate on projects that transform ideas into real practical solutions. 

     

    Our team is skilled in facilitating complex projects and building strong partnerships to drive digital innovation in health and social care.

     

    Our effective partnership model brings together industry, health and care providers, academia and education providers, wider public services and citizens to collaborate and solve key demand-led challenges.

  • DHI works with partners to co-develop digital health products. In most circumstances, we would sub-contract delivery of any built products.


    For regulatory aspects of digital health product/ service development, we can provide high-level advice and signposting to appropriate resources.

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) works with partners to develop programmes of work that incorporate co-design, application of our innovation process model; good project management techniques and digital service development expertise to shape projects which enable a trial of a service with robust evaluation. 

     

    Outputs are generally an evaluation report and service model; potentially a business case or an outline business case for wider adoption of digital health and care services with a supporting toolkit. 
    Toolkits provide all the information on the practical implementation of the service; a patient pathway, service model, templates and other tools to support replication of the service in other areas to enhance wider adoption.

  • The best way to get support for your digital health and care innovation is to subscribe to the DHI newsletter and join our network.

     

    We have a 3-stage process to deliver support. 

    1. Subscribe to our newsletter

    2. Join our network (by subscribing to our newsletter you will receive an invitation to do this)

    3. Tailored Support, available to companies that are closer to market and aligned with our strategic priorities.

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) is one of Scotland’s Innovation Centres, hosted on behalf of Scotland by the University of Strathclyde, a Scottish charity incorporated by Royal Charter (charity number SC015263), and having its principal office at 16 Richmond Street, Glasgow, G1 1XQ.


    DHI is a not-for-profit organisation funded by the Scottish Funding Council and the Scottish Government.

     

    It is a world-leading collaboration between the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Strathclyde, its host institution."

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) does not offer direct funding to develop digital health and care solutions. 


    DHI works on a demand-led basis where strategic partners ask us to help solve a particular health and care challenge. We reach out to our network of industry partners, health and care providers, academia, wider public sector services and citizens to create collaborative projects and apply for funding to develop digital health and care solutions

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) does not offer direct funding to develop digital health and care solutions. 


    DHI is focused on promoting funding opportunities to advance digital health and social care collaboration and innovation. By helping innovators secure the necessary funding, we enable transformative projects that enhance personalised patient care and healthcare delivery.

     

    Finding and engaging with relevant funding organisations can be challenging. DHI has partnered with The Data Lab to provide access to their funding finder – a search tool that leverages data and AI to navigate the UK funding system.

     

    Check out the funding page on our website for the latest funding opportunities.
     

  • The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) undertakes research, facilitates international knowledge exchange, and publishes academic outputs, grey literature, white papers and a variety of other digital resources that are hosted between The University of Strathclyde’s Strathprints repository and the Glasgow School of Art Radar open-access repositories.


    We also regularly publish case studies, blogs and industry insight papers.


    You can access all our outputs in the resources page on our website.

  • Yes. Periodically, the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) will have an open call for evaluation funding or for academic research, but this depends on our project portfolio.

  • Students cannot apply directly.

     

    Applications should be made by course leaders/ co-ordinators to the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) on behalf of their students by the advertised deadline using the DHI Scholarship Administration Form.

    ​

    Visit the Master’s Scholarships in digital health and social care page on our website for the latest information.

  • Yes. Courses can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.

     

    Part-time funding is allocated at a 0.5 FTE basis, with the first half in the first year of study and the second half in the second year of study.

  • Subscribe to the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) newsletter for the latest news, events and funding opportunities across the health and social care sector. This will allow you to join our network and benefit from our clusters and programme of activities.


    Follow @dhiscotland on LinkedIn and X.

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