UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 04 APRIL 2018
West Midlands businesses are being invited to take part in a two-day hacking event aimed at improving NHS access for the region’s patients.
Birmingham City University is running the STEAMlabs Health Hack event, to be held on Wednesday 18 April, which will see small and medium sized organisations tasked with finding ways to make health services easier to use.
The event will focus on some key regional health issues, such as diabetes and respiratory and see how technology could be used to improve how patients interact with the NHS to cure and control their illnesses.
The Health Hack forms part of Birmingham City University and Eastside Projects' STEAMhouse initiative which aims to maximise the benefits of connecting science, technology and maths disciplines with the arts.
It will take place at STEAMhouse site on Digbeth High Street from 4.30pm on April 18 until 6pm on April 19. The first day will feature a series of keynote speakers and team selection, with ideas, planning, prototypes and pitches taking place on the second day.
Professor Julian Beer, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University, said: “Increasingly we are seeing just how beneficial it is to bring together people from traditionally science-based backgrounds and those from artistic backgrounds.
“In the West Midlands we are fortunate to have a strong history of manufacturing and to have been home to some real artistic talent and these are things that continue to form our identity.
On arrival at the Health Hack, organisations will be handed information on the challenge and asked to form teams.
After 12 hours working on the product they will be given the opportunity to present their creations in front of NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and offered space at STEAMhouse, to develop their prototype further with potential to secure funding.
Ash Vora, Head of Digital, NHS Birmingham South and Central CCG, said “This event helps us to place design thinking at the heart of our strategy, developing creative solutions with businesses we would otherwise never have had chance to meet”.
STEAMhouse, Engagement Manager, Alexa Torlo said: The Health Hack is bringing together a range of businesses driving change in the region. It is an empowering process and helps break down barriers across sectors and helps promote the innovations.
For more information or to register visit Eventbrite and search STEAMlabs.