‘Healthtech startup school’ starts up

The BCS Chartered Institute for IT has teamed up with TechUK to run a ‘healthtech startup school’ for companies wanting to work with the NHS.

The school, which aims to support and drive innovation in health care, will have its first lesson in January next year.

Dr Justin Whatling, chair of BCS Health, said that it is vital to have a varied marketplace for healthcare technology.

“Healthy living, clinical practice and patient care can all be improved further by effective technology solutions that create fresh insights not just for doctors, but for patients, nurses, care workers and lifestyle service providers alike,” he said.

Whatling added that it can be difficult, especially for small companies, to work with the NHS as an organisation.

“There is no denying that working with a complex organisation like the NHS has challenges, however, we need to help more small, innovative companies to get the knowledge, skills and connections to overcome any barriers,” he said.

“Our ultimate aim is to help them to make their solutions available within the NHS as well as private healthcare and directly to the public at large.”

The school will run seven sessions with speakers from companies, entrepreneurs and NHS experts who will share their knowledge and experience from how to build a strategy to selling to the NHS.

Andrew Hartshorn, chair of the health and social care council at techUK, formerly known as Intellect, said it was about taking a “great idea and trying to turn it into a viable business reality”.

“In each session, expert speakers will explain how to tackle the key challenges and seasoned entrepreneurs will share their own experience of ‘how it really feels’,” he said.