Health Technology Community Pop-up in Stonehouse

A community-based outpost to address health inequalities
Centre for Health Technology Pop-Up

The Centre for Health Technology pop-up is open from February 2020. It is located at the Plot, 82-85 Union Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth, PL1 3EZ.

From its inception in 2019 until April 2020, the Centre for Health Technology's pop-up centre supported local business start-ups and a thriving regional and digital entrepreneur network. It also brought together an interdisciplinary cohort of University researchers and students from computing, nursing, design, robotics, design, medicine, engineering and architecture.
The pop-up was based in The Plot, Stonehouse, Plymouth and aimed to address local health inequalities and social deprivation using digital technology and eHealth solutions. This included companion robots as well as apps and internet-based health and welfare resources.
The Centre also worked with the charity, Nudge Community Builders, who own and create community activities in disused urban spaces in Plymouth. By working alongside this group, who had access to their own community networks, researchers could explore how to make better use of eHealth solutions.
Ultimately, the pop-up sowed the seeds for the Greenhouse Project , led by the School of Art, Design and Architecture. The Greenhouse acts as a creative technology hub for local organisations and residents and provides technological and digital support through a neighbourhood-based drop-in centre.

National awards recognition for health pop-up project

The pop-up project in Stonehouse has been shortlisted for a prestigious Health & Wellbeing Award, overseen by the Royal Society for Public Health. The pop-up centre, led by academics from the School of Art, Design and Architecture and Faculty of Health, sought to address digital exclusion by promoting eHealth and supporting digital technology business start-ups. 

To read about the shortlisting, including details of how to view the awards night on 21 October, visit the RSPH website.

Pepper robot at the Centre for Health Technology pop-up in Stonehouse

Free WIFI installed to help residents cope with COVID-19 lockdown

Professor Katharine Willis, Associate Professor in the School of Art, Design and Architecture, said:
“COVID-19 is a real challenge for those who lack digital skills or access to technology and the internet. Our research shows that digital divides map to areas of deprivation, and residents in Stonehouse may lack access to internet for GP appointments and keeping in touch with friends and family. This initiative is part of our response to COVID in the Health Tech Hub project, and it shows the value of our partnership with Nudge Community Builders to make a small change in a neighbourhood close to the University campus.”
Union Street wifi

Partners

Partners

A Civic University

The project builds on the research and expertise at the University’s Centre for Health Technology and the EPIC project (eHealth Productivity and Innovation in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly) that drives the development, evaluation and implementation of innovative technologies to transform health and social care.

Aligning our research with local community needs is deeply rooted in our role as a Civic University and we strive to be catalysts for social change and drive forward economic innovation to positively impact health within our communities.

The six-month project is a partnership between the University of Plymouth’s Centre for Health Technology and Nudge Community Builders, Plymouth Community Homes, Plymouth City Council, Crowdfund Ready and Adelaide Street GP surgery. The project is funded through the UKRI place-based partnerships for public engagement. This is a pathfinder funding opportunity to support eligible research organisations UK-wide to pilot place-based public engagement partnerships and activities.

Centre for Health Technology

Bringing together digital health and health technology expertise from across the University to drive the development, evaluation and implementation of innovative technologies, products, services and approaches to transform health and social care.
Online tele medicine isometric concept. Medical consultation and treatment via application of smartphone connected internet clinic.