Digital innovations to help people stay well and working

New digital services to support people with their health have moved a step closer thanks to innovations developed by six companies selected as part of the region’s effort to help people stay well and in work.

More than 130 companies put forward ideas to help people manage their health so they can remain in work, with the successful entries focusing on areas including mental health, menopause, and musculoskeletal conditions.

This work is part of the region’s £19m WorkWell programme, which brings together the NHS and a wide range of partners to help people address health problems that may be affecting their ability to work or return to work. The programme offers additional support for issues such as depression and anxiety, back problems, alcohol or smoking, and gynaecological concerns, which can all make it harder for people to stay in employment.

Approximately £1.5m of WorkWell funding will now be used to pilot the six innovations, testing whether patients can benefit from these latest technologies to help improve their health.

The bids were carefully evaluated by an expert panel, supported by Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC) and the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).

The six successful proposals are:

  • Dr Julian: An online mental health platform providing 24/7 access to wellbeing tools, specialist clinicians, and virtual appointments. Selected for its potential to increase capacity across the whole region.
  • Tellmi: A digital mental health platform focused on early intervention, offering anonymised peer support and round-the-clock, text-based assistance, aimed particularly at younger people in South Tyneside and Sunderland.
  • Sword Health (Thrive): A digital physiotherapy-style service providing people with musculoskeletal conditions a personalised plan, real-time feedback, and safe, effective exercises. Targeted at rural communities to improve access across County Durham, North Cumbria, North Tyneside, and Northumberland.
  • XR Therapeutics: A service using extended and virtual reality to treat anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and phobias in safe, controlled settings. It has been shown to reduce recovery times and waiting lists for mental health support in North Cumbria and Tees Valley.
  • Virtual Menopause Clinics (Hartlepool and Stockton GP Federation): A service offering a safe and supportive space for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause, with flexible appointment times including evenings and weekends, linking women to wider support across Tees Valley.
  • Sunderland Integrated Musculoskeletal Service: A digital platform featuring more than 300 exercise videos to support recovery from musculoskeletal conditions. Patient feedback will drive improvements, and the service will integrate with existing clinical records. Available in Sunderland and South Tyneside.

The WorkWell programme is led by the region’s NHS in partnership with Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, local councils and combined authorities, the Department for Work and Pensions, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. The North East and North Cumbria is one of only three areas in England to receive funding through the Government’s Health and Growth Accelerator scheme.

Samantha Allen, chief executive, North East and North Cumbria ICB, said: “Supporting people to stay well and in work is a key priority for our region. These digital innovations will give people faster, easier access to help that can make a real difference to their health and daily lives. By working closely with our partners, we’re using new technology to improve care, widen access, and make the best use of NHS resources for the benefit of our communities.”

Dr Nicola Hutchinson, chief executive, HI NENC, said: “We are delighted to be backing six outstanding companies whose innovations have the potential to transform how people manage their health. This investment means we can bring proven, practical digital solutions into NHS services more quickly, helping people across our region to stay well, feel supported, and remain in work. It’s a great example of how collaboration and innovation can drive real change.”

HI NENC is now working with WorkWell services across the region to roll out these innovations. Patients can only access these innovations through NHS WorkWell services.

You can find out more about the innovations on the Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria website, and more about the wider WorkWell programme on the ICB website.