Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray pledges support for innovations in digital health and care

International tennis superstar and British number one, Andy Murray has lent his support to one of Scotland’s leading digital innovation centres to highlight the benefit of using technology to provide more efficient health and care services across the UK.

Andy Murray, British number one and two-times Wimbledon champion

Mr Murray will become the international digital health and wellness ambassador for one of Scotland's leading innovation centres, the Digital Health & Care Institute (DHI). The new role will promote the societal and economic benefits of digital health and care.

Digital health is already recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as having the potential to improve global healthcare, while a recent report for the UK Government, published by Deloitte revealed that the global market for digital health could be worth approximately £43bn by 2018, the UK accounts for around seven per cent of that.

The report further predicted cumulative growth of 11 per cent which is estimated to be driven by mobile health and health analytics which Scotland is aiming to be a world leader in, with digital health and care estimated to have a market value of £400m by 2020.

Speaking about his new role, Mr Murray said: “My partnership with the Digital Health & Care Institute has come about because I am really interested in how digital technologies can improve health. I obviously have a personal interest in that area because anything that can improve my own health will only improve my performance on court. The work that the DHI are doing is changing lives and solving some really important health and care challenges, at home and abroad, and I am proud to be supporting their work.”

Mr Murray is known for his use of technology and data to help improve his performance on the tennis court and has previously indicated that maintaining his health and wellbeing throughout the tennis season is crucial to his success.

Raising awareness and promoting opportunities

He has a personal interest in using digital technologies to improve and monitor health and wellbeing, and has experience working with start-up companies in the health, sport and wearable technology sectors.

It is hoped that his involvement with the DHI’s work will raise awareness and promote skills, educational and career opportunities for young people in emerging markets. Mr Murray also has plans to work with the NHS on campaigns addressing childhood obesity.

Chief executive of The DHI, Justene Ewing, said: “Our nation has a clear agenda to boost productivity through innovation and enterprise, so Scotland is the place to be supported and engaged in digital health and care.

Justene Ewing, chief executive of the Digital Health & Care Institute

“As a Scot with an international perspective and global recognition, we’re delighted that Andy sees the opportunity in supporting the DHI’s aims of enabling dynamic and fast-paced transformation programmes for entrepreneurs to collaborate with the NHS in Scotland, third sector organisations, universities and citizens.”

The Digital Health & Care Institute unite people and organisations from the public, charity, design, academic and technology sectors to develop new ideas for digital technology that will improve health and care services.

The DHI's project portfolio is currently worth more than £4m and includes over 100 projects which engage more than 50 companies, as well as 15 of Scotland’s universities, 25 third-sector organisations, uniting more than 1,000 members from over 20 countries.

One of their latest projects involves using a camera and technology from Microsoft’s Kinect motion controller for games consoles to detect patient vital signs remotely. The technology assesses a patient’s heart rate and blood oxygen levels at a distance using facial recognition could reduce the need for clipped-on devices and allow for measuring multiple people at once in real-time. This technology could help clinicians are carers to identify those who require routine monitoring.

Another innovation in testing is a smartphone app designed to improve the detection of atrial fibrillation, one of the most common heart conditions in the UK, affecting around one million people, and a major risk factor for stroke. The AliveCor heart monitor ‘Kardia’ is currently being evaluated by 24 GP surgeries across Scotland.

During the five-year partnership, the DHI plan to run an annual competition to challenge schools and colleges to solve a major health problem. The winner of competition will be picked by Mr Murray and a chosen panel of experts after a two stage shortlisting process, winners will have their innovation made into a prototype and further evaluated through the DHI’s own innovation processes. Further support will be sought from Scottish small and medium-sized enterprises and investors with a view to commercialising a successful solution.

Ms Ewing added: “We’re extremely excited to have Andy on our team and really look forward to building a strong relationship with him. His ongoing and increasingly active support for entrepreneurialism and innovation is a great asset. It’s inspiring to have someone of Andy’s profile and calibre committing to a partnership with us to promote digital health in Scotland, with all the potential benefits it can provide to the health and wellbeing of people at home and abroad.”

Innovations in digital health can make a real difference

Earlier this year, the Scottish Government published their National Clinical Strategy, which revealed that based on current estimates, the population of Scotland could rise to 5.78 million by 2037, and will age significantly with the number of people aged 65 and over expected to increase by 59 per cent from 0.93 million to 1.47 million.

The strategy establishes the demands that the predicted demographic changes will create, in particular, highlighting cancer and dementia as two key areas to be addressed through changes in the type and capacity of health and care services available.

Scotland’s vision to be a world-leading entrepreneurial and innovative nation is supported by the Scottish Government’s innovation centre programme funded by the Scottish Funding Council, of which the DHI is part of and hosted by the University of Strathclyde.

Economy secretary Keith Brown said: “Innovations in digital health and the way they are used can make a real difference to the lives and wellbeing of people across Scotland as well as offer tremendous opportunities to create jobs and support our economic growth.

“The research, innovation and technology supported and developed through the DHI will have far-reaching societal benefits across the world and opens up a global market for Scottish entrepreneurs. I am extremely pleased that Andy will help raise the profile of Scotland’s excellence in this area given his own international profile.”