A national healthcare innovation body is seeking novel eye-care solutions and technologies to help the NHS address pandemic-related patient backlogs.

InnoScot Health is calling on healthcare workers to propose new ways of working to support under pressure ophthalmologists.

Ophthalmology has been identified as a ’priority area’ for the NHS’s recovery plan in Scotland after Covid-19 led to patients being unable to see ophthalmologists and optometrists.

As a result, waiting lists and backlogs grew, meaning individuals with eye problems saw a worsening of their condition over the course of the pandemic.

Normal service has largely now resumed although there remains a significant accumulation of people still requiring treatment. InnoScot Health – formerly Scottish Healthcare Innovations Ltd – is therefore encouraging the diverse NHS Scotland workforce to come up with new ways of working and identifying ways to reduce the backlogs.

Robert Rea, InnoScot Health’s head of innovation, said: “There are few areas of healthcare that have been as dramatically affected across the last few years as ophthalmology, with the pandemic increasing waiting lists, storing up significant health problems for patients, and placing considerable pressure on staff.

“That’s why our call is so important at this time – to advance innovative eye care solutions for important unmet needs and improve the lives of people living with vision loss and eye disease.

“Innovation has the power to unlock fresh, inspired solutions that can tackle issues head on and lay the foundations for further positive change in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.’

He added: “InnoScot Health is seeking ophthalmic innovations from any health board and any role or medical discipline, so if you have an idea, then please do get in touch with our team of experts.

“We are particularly looking for innovations that have commercial potential – ones that can be developed as a new product and generate income.

“Innovation in this area is very often, though not always, a new medical device, but could also be an accessory of some sort or a training tool such as an educational board game.

“We also evaluate digital solutions such as forward-thinking apps, and where innovators come to us with ideas relating to new processes or services, we endeavour to identify the most appropriate partner agency to support it and take it further forward.

“Inventions that are co-developed with non-NHS parties can also be supported by us as long as there is a defined NHS input/staff member involved in the project.”

A free to attend virtual briefing event – taking place on Tuesday 13 September at 10am – will serve as an introduction to the call while laying out the support available to health and social care staff submitting their ideas. You can register for the event here.

InnoScot Health has worked in partnership with NHS Scotland since 2002 to inspire fresh ideas from the 160,000-strong workforce. Its team will rapidly assess and support selected innovations from concept to final product.

InnoScot Health has worked with NHS Scotland innovators numerous times over the years on ophthalmic innovations including Peekaboo Vision, an app created by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Multifocal Retinal Imager, developed in collaboration with Wideblue, and the iGrading platform, a diabetic retinopathy screening tool developed by InnoScot Health, working with NHS Grampian, the University of Aberdeen and Medalytix Ltd.

Dr Iain Livingstone, ophthalmologist at NHS Forth Valley, said: “Personally, I see a major change in the transition from ‘light of sight’ technology to digital presentations. There has been some fledgeling work around a new optical system for the slit lamp – a microscope with a bright light used during an eye exam – that is applicable to examination, surgery, and 3D transmission. 

“Apple meanwhile is set to announce a headset that has more processing power than its top MacBook, and Meta is set to update its Quest 2 headset. I see ophthalmology leaning on mixed/virtual/augmented reality for examination and surgery over the next 10 years.

“Across NHS Scotland, rising patient demand is a major issue, and it’s no different in ophthalmology services. To be able to expand and improve the services that we offer, new ideas and innovations will be key to the overall provision of health and care.

“NHS Scotland has a diverse workforce, innovative ideas from which the quality of care we provide can be improved by virtue of having real, first-hand experience of patient’s needs. InnoScot Health’s remit includes support on taking ideas forward.”

Some of the main areas of concern are around Diabetic Retinopathy, Age Related Macular Degeneration (wet and dry), Glaucoma and Cataract which account for the majority of outpatient appointments.

Professor Roshini Sanders, Ophthalmology lead at the Chief Scientist Office for NHS Research Scotland added: “The NHS is currently challenged with massive backlogs.

“Those with chronic long-term eye diseases such as glaucoma accounting for over 60,00 patients in Scotland stand to lose vision with delayed appointments.

“However, this call could provide new ways to innovate our way through those significant backlogs and identify meaningful solutions.”  

Stay up to date with our free weekly Futurescot.

As a young professional starting out in the tech sector 30 years ago, I thrived on the fast pace,constant change and demanding workload. I lived in London, Singapore and Australia…

Throughout my career in biotechnology and life sciences, I have seen many women leading ground-breaking research studies in their fields of expertise. Yet, and I include myself in this, we…

It is important that clinicians’ voices are heard in the consultation around Scotland’s new health and care data strategy, which closes this week (12 August).  Busy GPs like myself are the trusted…

Consider this an open letter to anyone I have worked with before I became a mother and before I fully understood how being a parent is actually a prized asset…

From the very start of my ministerial career, I have had responsibility for the Scottish tech sector – and I can still say what I have said from the start,…

When I decided to upskill to change careers at the age of 30 and dive into the digital world, I knew I would be starting out at the bottom of…

With the rapid evolution of traditional marketing and the appearance of digital marketing, technology and innovation has become part of any marketer’s life without the need of working for a…

I came to Scotland nearly 20 years ago from Ireland, with no contacts but a lot of determination. While Ireland will always be my home, Scotland has given me amazing…

You can opt to receive the Futurescot newsletter, out every Friday.

Canongate  Communications   Limited 42 St Mary’s St, Edinburgh EH1 1SX.

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings .

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!