South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub

09/06/2025

We’re excited to invite you to our next webinar introducing Smart-Health; an infrastructure for collecting and linking smartphone and wearable data for research health records.

Professor Tim Chico, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Sheffield, will speak about the research database ethics and governance approach, highlighting the process of securing broad NHS data access and the importance of a robust consent model. He’ll also discuss lessons learned along the way and signpost towards people who have similarly gone through these experiences.

In addition, he’ll introduce how Smart-Health works with sub-regional care boards, along with navigating the complex but evolving NHS data landscape.

Ellen Buckley is a Research Associate at the University of Sheffield with experience in sensor based digital mobility assessment in the real world, particularly the Mobilise-D Consortium.

She will explore how detailed gait analysis using lumbar sensors can be linked with smartphone-based data collection to create a more continuous, long-term picture of mobility and activity. This approach gives researchers a more home-based understanding more reflective of people's lived experiences rather than the standard clinical assessments.

Together, they’ll discuss how these technologies and datasets can be embedded into clinical trials, support self-management of symptoms, and ultimately move toward real-world application and regulatory approval.

Register now to secure your place:
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mnwg4dJcS7Ki6lp1Pm8r_Q #/registration

27/05/2025

📸 Last week we brought together our brilliant Advisory Board to help shape the future of SYDHH’s most exciting initiative, which will be revealed later this year.

Huge thanks to our board members for their time, expertise and insights, challenges, and enthusiasm as we move this project forward.

23/05/2025

Would you share your smartwatch or health app data if it helped improve care for others?

📲 Yes? No? It depends?

What would encourage you to give up your data to help people with similar health issues? Tell us what you think 👇

Would you share your smartwatch or health app data if it helped improve care for others? 📲 Yes? No? It depends? What would encourage you to give up your data to help people with similar health issues? Tell us what you think 👇

20/05/2025

One for your July calendar 📆

Health Research from Home is holding a Grant Writing Retreat at the University of Manchester.

It's a great opportunity for researchers in digital health to shape strong, fundable studies - with hands-on support and collaboration. If you're using digital tools like wearables or apps in health research, this is for you!

Find out more here:

📣 Grant Writing Retreat - join the waitlist now. 🗓️ Thursday 10 July to Friday 11 July 📍 Core Technology Facility, University of Manchester 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e5zaR5QG Our Grant Writing Retreat helps you turn study ideas into successful grant bids.  To learn more about what to exp...

15/05/2025

What if you lost ALL your health data … how would you feel? 📲🤯

In our latest episode of the Digital Health Hubcast, Dr Itzelle Medina-Perea shares a fascinating insight from her research with digital health users:

Some of them say, ‘I would be lost – this is years of tracking how I felt.’
Others say, ‘If I lose it, I’ll just carry on doing what I do.’

So we’re asking you 👉 Which type of person are you?
🧠 Team LOST
💪 Team FINE

🎧 Tune into the full episode here:
🔗

Welcome to the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub's podcast where technology and healthcare collide! We sit with leading experts and innovators from across the digital health landscape to explore the biggest opportunities, toughest challenges and discuss creating a healthier, more connected future.

12/05/2025

We've got another question for you: Who’s Missing From the Data? 🔎

As we embrace wearable tech, health apps, and AI, it's critical to ask:
which group is currently most underrepresented in digital health research and design?
Is it: Older adults, Ethnic minority groups, Neurodiverse / disabled people, or low-income communities?

Vote and share your thoughts in the comments below 👇

08/05/2025

We know the question on the tip of everyone's tongue - how did SYDHH Director, Tim Chico, end up obsessed with ?

Here's a clue:
🏊🏼🚵🏼🏃🏼

Still not figured it out? Well let's hear from Tim himself:

My mid-life crisis led me to triathlon, and this in turn led me to digital health.

I entered my first triathlon armed only with a bicycle proficiency certificate, a hatred of running, and a fear of swimming.

A few years later I was a triathlon-obsessed bore with no social life, trying to juggle eight-hour training sessions with work and home life.

In my desperation to improve my performance (from mediocre to average) I found myself using digital tools to constantly monitor my heart rate, steps, running, bike power, distances, speeds, sleep, and swim golf score (I still don't know what that is 😂). All this incredibly personal data was then uploaded to a coach who “prescribed” the right training to improve.

I soon realised that my coach knew more about my own health than I’ve ever known about my patients' health, which was quite shocking. But then I wondered, "Why couldn't we do the same?"

By applying the same devices and technologies, it is possible to achieve something much more important than a trophy or medal: we can improve outcomes for patients.

06/05/2025

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆?

𝘈𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳: 𝘴𝘰, 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 😫😭

Essential documents totalling hundreds of pages need to be written, including:

• A detailed study protocol (description of the entire research)
• A participant information sheet (that people who might want to take part read)
• A consent form (that gives the person’s consent to take part and permission to collect data)
• The letter that will be sent to the person’s GP
• Ethics application form that is submitted to the Health Research Authority
• Confirmation of sponsorship from the responsible organisation
• A Data Protection Impact Assessment
• A Data Management Plan
• The promotional materials (posters, flyers, etc) to let people know about the study.
• Clinical study insurance

Here at the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, we've been busy in the background getting all this ready. Please bear with us while we are preparing all these documents for studies that the Hub will lead and support. They are essential to ensure our research safeguards the people taking part and that it's in the public's interest.

South Yorkshire is embracing a digital health revolution, enabling ethical health data research while maintaining the highest health data governance, thanks to our partnership with Data Connect.

04/05/2025

We think everyone who's working in health / health innovation need to know about the work of Sir Michael Marmot that is dedicated to understanding and addressing health inequalities and the social determinants of health.

He has translated his research into influential policy recommendations aimed at reducing health inequalities. Key reports include the Marmot Review ("Fair Society, Healthy Lives") for the UK government and "Closing the Gap in a Generation" for the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health. These reports advocate action across six domains: early childhood, education, employment, income, healthy places, and prevention.

An excellent recent podcast interview with Sir Michael is here
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6GWadeccLa6hBVeSJ4dZrQ

Links

📑Full Report (PDF from UCL Institute of Health Equity):https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/fair-society-healthy-lives-the-marmot-review/fair-society-healthy-lives-full-report-pdf.pdf
📑"Closing the Gap in a Generation" (WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health):
Full Report (PDF from WHO):https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/43943/9789241563703_eng.pdf

The Rest Is Money · Episode

01/05/2025

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆-𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮?

Join Health Research from Home’s hackathon led by their experienced instructors.

7 – 9 May, 2025 | The University of Manchester

Health Research from Home is a partnership led by The University of Manchester pioneering the successful linkage of smartphone and wearable data in health research.

During the hackathon, you will work in small groups to address two challenges in the field of tracked daily symptoms for people living with long-term conditions. You will design and test innovative approaches to simulate and predict pain patterns, incorporating real-world challenges such as treatment effects, variability in symptoms, and the constraints of sampling frequency.

This is a unique opportunity to network and collaborate with experts, apply your skills to real-world challenges, and contribute to the future of health research.

To apply, complete the registration form by Sunday 6 April, 2025: https://2ly.link/25ju3

Please note: A £50 registration fee applies. Selected participants will be notified via email in early April once registration closes, at which point payment details will be provided. A limited number of bursaries are available.

28/04/2025

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱? 💡🌍

Nick Hamilton, Innovation Lead at the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, makes a compelling case for redefining how we innovate in health, in his latest article. Key points include:

It’s not just about the tech.
It’s about people, partnerships, and practical solutions.
It’s about co-creation, not top-down design.

At SYDHH, based at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC), we’re building capacity for innovation that’s inclusive, scalable, and grounded in the lived experiences of those who use it - patients, clinicians, and innovators alike.

As the NHS shifts from analogue systems to digitally enabled care, we must ensure that innovation doesn't widen health inequalities, but helps close them.

Read the full article:

Nick Hamilton, Innovation Lead at the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub, shares his experiences on how he used his sports engineering background to foster innovation in the digital health sector.

24/04/2025

We're seal-iously committed to care! 🦭🌊 Shout out to our Sarah who found and helped rescue this lovely but lonely Grey Seal while on holiday on the East Coast. Big thanks to the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Team - we think they've got another member inbound soon 🤿👱‍♀️