Tiny Medical Apps (TMA) is delighted to announce it has been accepted onto the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme, which aims to speed up the adoption of technology in London’s NHS, relieving high pressure on services and empowering patients to manage their health.

Tiny Medical Apps was jointly founded by an A&E doctor Greg Burch, and an NHS systems developer Matt Bourne in 2016. Its mission is to place the power of managing treatable health conditions back into the hands of patients [through the introduction of innovative digital applications].

With the support of an NHS trained clinical safety officer and a team of international developers, TMA is now perfectly placed to develop and deploy solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing the health service, such as helping patients manage their long term conditions.

TMA’s initial focus has been the development of a digital health passport, targeted at teenagers with asthma. The aim is to help young people take control of their own health needs, by putting power back into their hands.

The Digital Health Passport (commissioned by the NHS Healthy London Partnership) is live in East London via the Barts Health NHS Trust, with NHS login imminent, enabling patients, clinicians and healthcare providers to link up personalised data for the first time in this way.

A copy of the patient’s previously paper-based care plan is now digitally available via TMA’s app with a review date, symptom tracker, self-help videos, and weather, pollution and pollen alerts.

Dr Greg Burch, cofounder of TMA said:Being accepted onto DigitalHealth.London’s Accelerator programme is a major achievement and will help fast-track development of our patient-led applications.

“Our aim is to give back control to those suffering from life debilitating conditions, be that asthma, heart failure or stroke, by supporting them to manage their own care plans.

“As one of the pioneers of NHS login, our app will also open the front door to a patient’s health records, enabling people to contribute to their care plans in line with the Long Term Plan for the NHS.”

DigitalHealth.London is a programme aiming to speed up the development and scaling of digital innovations across health and care and pioneer their adoption by the NHS. By matching innovators with demand, and supporting them to navigate the UK health environment, DigitalHealth.London helps improve patient and population outcomes and experience, support a sustainable NHS, and generate economic growth.

DigitalHealth.London Accelerator was set up to help SMEs accelerate digital health innovation through improved access to the wealth of world-class research, medical technology, and resources London has to offer.

It works with 20-30 high potential start-ups and SMEs each year and supports them to develop and deploy solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS. It helps them understand demand, test innovations from an early stage, and bring new products and processes to market.

The programme is uniquely positioned to provide in-depth knowledge of the NHS and wider UK health and care sector to high potential companies in London to help them refine, develop and scale their innovations.

Sara Nelson Programme Director, DigitalHealth.London Accelerator, said: “This year, we received a record number of applications to the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator, and are delighted to accept 20 companies, including Tiny Medical Apps, onto the programme. Between them, they have great potential to make a huge difference to the lives of patients and staff – either directly, or indirectly, through improvements to the way the system runs behind-the-scenes. These innovations could help the NHS draw ever closer to delivering a truly digital, inclusive service for everyone.”

Notes for editors

The Accelerator is a partnership between London’s three AHSNs (Health Innovation Network, Imperial College Health Partners, UCLPartners), MedCity, CW+, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity. It is supported by the Mayor of London; and is part-funded by the EU’s European Regional Development Fund.

The project is receiving up to £1.7 million of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding