HISES at DigiFest 2025: Advancing Digital Health Innovation in Scotland
Last Thursday, the Health Innovation South East Scotland (HISES) team attended DigiFest 2025, Scotland’s flagship conference on digital innovation in health and social care, held at the University of Strathclyde’s Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow. The event brought together leaders, practitioners, innovators and policymakers from across the health, care, academic and technology sectors to explore how digital transformation can drive real-world impact in services and outcomes.
DigiFest 2025 showcased a wide range of sessions focused on data-driven innovation, integrated care pathways, translating research into practice and future digital skills for the health and care workforce – all themes central to HISES’s mission to support sustainable, patient-centred improvements in health services across South East Scotland.
HISES Representation and Engagement
The HISES delegation included Neil Mitchell (Innovation Manager, NHS Fife), who participated in a panel that explored how Digital Solutions are supporting people and joining up services for people at risk of harm through substance use. Neil’s background in research governance, clinical trials and innovation programme delivery provided valuable insights during this session.
Neil Mitchell (NHS Fife)
Key Themes and Takeaways
At DigiFest, delegates engaged with sessions that explored strategic priorities shaping the future of digital health in Scotland:
- Data-Driven Innovation: Speakers highlighted how better use of data can support predictive, preventative and personalised care models.
- Integrated Care Pathways: Discussions focused on digital solutions that connect services across health and social care to improve coordination and outcomes.
- Research to Impact: Contributors shared examples of how academic research and innovation partnerships are translating into frontline benefits.
- Digital Skills and Workforce Development: Recognising the importance of equipping current and future health and care professionals with the competencies needed to deliver digitally enabled services.
These themes align with HISES’s strategic priorities of enabling scalable innovation that enhances patient experience, supports frontline staff and improves service efficiency across regional health systems.
Networking and Collaboration
The event provided an excellent platform for the HISES team to build partnerships with national and regional stakeholders, including representatives from the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), Scottish Government digital leads, NHS boards, academia, third-sector organisations and technology providers. These connections support ongoing collaboration on innovation challenges relevant to South East Scotland – from improving care continuity to enhancing digital readiness across multidisciplinary teams.
Katriona Brooksbank (West of Scotland Innovation Hub), Hazel Dempsey (North of Scotland Innovation Hub) & Samantha Smith-Garrett (Health Innovation South East Scotland)
Looking Ahead
HISES continues to champion digital transformation that delivers practical and equitable benefits for patients, clinicians and service partners. Engagement at DigiFest 2025 reinforces our commitment to working within Scotland’s health innovation ecosystem to drive impactful, evidence-led change.
