Innovative projects and tech set to drive better patient care
A series of innovative projects to help hospital patient care and staff experience has been launched, with plans including an app that gives clearer information to patients when they stay for treatment.
A group of twelve innovators have been selected as part of the Innovation Fellowship programme, run by Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, to turn their creative ideas into practical improvements to patient care.
Sarah Haines, Head of Patient Experience at the Trust, is one of the 2025 Fellows who is planning to design an app that will serve as a one-stop information hub for hospital inpatients.
She said: “This app would allow patients to access all kinds of useful information on their phones whilst in bed. This could include meal options, visiting times or even information about their hospital treatment plan.”
The programme is run each year, with people bringing forward clever ways of improving how hospitals work. This year’s group include former patients, and staff from the Trust and other NHS organisations, including East of England Ambulance Service and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.
Since its launch five years ago, the Fellowship has supported almost 80 innovators who have each worked to deliver exciting improvements.
One example was ShiftPartner – an AI-powered app that helps managers to quickly identify team members’ skills, availability, and training needs, meaning they can allocate their staff better on a shift. After its successful pilot in Essex, it is set for use nationally across the NHS.
Zephan Trent, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, said: “We are always looking at ways to improve patient care and we launched the innovation fellowship five years ago to encourage colleagues across our local healthcare system to share their creative ideas and bring them to life.
“I’m really looking forward to working with this latest group of inspiring Fellows who bring lots of new and exciting projects to the table such as underwear designed to support women recovering from breast cancer.”
Further information about the projects, and how to register next year, will be shared on the Trust’s social media @MSEHospitals.