Shaping the Future of Health: Innovation in the North

I’m still a bit of a newbie in the world of digital health (and in the world of blogs and articles), but this week felt like a full-on immersion. I had the chance to attend two fantastic events that didn’t just showcase the progress being made, but really got me thinking about the kind of culture and collaboration we need to keep moving healthcare forward… and it’s inspired me to write.

On Tuesday (30th September), Digital Therapies and AI: Rethinking Mental Health Access in Practice, brought together local health leaders, clinicians, and third sector providers to discuss how we’re reimagining mental health support through digital tools. Then, on Wednesday (1st October), Health Innovation North took that conversation wider, bringing NHS leaders, researchers, and innovators together to explore what it really means to embed change across the health and care system.

The messages were clear; innovation isn’t just about technology. It’s about collaboration, trust, and confidence, across services, sectors, and the public. AI and digital transformation are changing healthcare, but what really stood out at both events this week is that meaningful progress doesn’t come from faster tech alone. It comes from people working together. Yes, data can lead to smarter decisions. Yes, digital tools can improve access and efficiency. But none of that matters if we lose sight of the people at the heart of it all, those delivering care, and those receiving it.

What came through clearly at both events is that we’re not short on data, in fact, we’re swimming in it. The real challenge is turning that data into meaningful insight. Making it timely. Making it useful. Making it holistic. That’s where the opportunity lies: designing systems and services that give professionals meaningful feedback, not just reports. That offer patients a clearer, supported path, not just another digital tool to figure out on their own – in which they often have to repeat the same data. That break down silos rather than reinforce them.

Tom Riordan CBE, speaking at Health Innovation North, put it clearly: innovation and collaboration aren’t optional, they are critical to the future of health and social care. What we build is important, but how we work together to apply it will determine whether it actually makes a difference.

I am a proud Northerner (occasionally seen with a flat cap – don’t judge me), and the north, in particular, feels like it has a strong voice here. What stood out most wasn’t just the innovation on show, but the sense of community. A willingness to share, to test, to challenge and to support. A mix of public, private, academic and voluntary voices all contributing to a collective ambition: not just to modernise systems and ways of working, but to improve lives and outcomes.

I’m still relatively new in my role with PCMIS Health Technologies who are part of this digital community, but this week confirmed something I’ve already come to appreciate at the University of York: the work happening in this region is innovative, grounded, and truly collaborative.

The biggest shift we need isn’t just technical, it’s cultural. We need to continue investing in digital confidence across the workforce. We need to bring the public with us, not just expect them to adapt. And we need to stay focused on what matters: equity, access, and outcomes.

Health innovation is only meaningful when it leads to better care, for more people, in ways that last. That’s the future I saw this week, and I’m proud to add my voice to be part of the conversation.

Tony Rider (Marketing and Communications Manager)