Innovate UK grant to help develop digital solutions for rheumatoid arthritis

Ampersand Health has won a grant from Innovate UK to develop digital therapy solutions for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

The company was selected from over 8600 applications to receive funding by the UK government to develop digital self-management solutions for shielding RA patients.

Companies are set to benefit from a £40 million investment to drive forward new technological advances, particularly as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ampersand Health uses behavioural and data science to personalise pathways and support better self-care for people with long term inflammatory conditions. Its apps are designed to improve patients’ mental health and quality of life by helping address their stress management, medicine adherence, sleep quality, relationships and more; with courses for food choices and flare management in development.

The company’s intervention for Crohn’s and Colitis patients was selected by NHSX and DHSC to be part of Techforce 19. As part of the programme, Ampersand showed that people who took its courses for a week experienced improvements in disease related quality of life and reductions in anxiety and depression.

The Innovate UK funding will allow the company and its partners - including the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society - to invest in and evidence similar new behavioural medicines for people living with inflammatory arthritis.

A version of the platform is available for free - for the NHS via G-Cloud 11 and for patients via the app store.