Leading healthcare innovation body InnoScot Health is proud to be involved in a partnership supporting a pioneering digital initiative to help prevent falls—and is championing the publication of a new report which underlines its vast potential

The No Need to Fall (NNTF) project—led by Consultant in Older Adult Medicine at NHS Lanarkshire, Dr Ana Talbot—is featured prominently in the report from The Health Foundation's £2.2 million Tech for Better Care innovation programme, which awarded funding to support its development.

Digitally enabled falls prevention initiative NNTF is “designed to help people stay independent, safe and well at home for longer” with the Scottish partnership, made up of 19 organisations, believing it has “the potential to reduce avoidable escalation to urgent and acute care across Lanarkshire and Scotland”.

Head of Business Development at InnoScot Health, Frances Ramsay said: “We applaud the huge progress made on this important project for innovative approaches to falls prevention and are proud to be contributing to its evolution.

“Spearheaded by Dr Talbot, the partnership continues to explore how digital technology can be used to empower high-risk individuals and their families, enhance earlier identification, address wider frailty challenges, and improve daily care and support needs, while shaping the response to any falls which may occur—the leading cause of hip fracture and injury.

“Collaborative working has been key to realising NNTF, and that will continue as we seek out new partners and fresh sources of funding, while sharing work achieved so far at local and national level in order to heighten engagement.”

InnoScot Health has further supported Dr Talbot’s recent participation in the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, aimed at providing the skills and connections to accelerate healthcare innovations such as NNTF.

The falls prevention concept includes a streamlined digital front door and portal for people to self-assess their falls risk and find evidence‑based support. It also prototyped a personal data store so people can share their data by consent to staff.

Other organisations involved in the development of NNTF include North/South Health and Social Care Partnerships, West of Scotland Innovation Hub, Chief Scientist Office (CSO), Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI), and University of Strathclyde.

The Tech for Better Care programme—which began in 2023 and concluded in April this year—explored how technology can enable proactive, relationship-focused care at home and in the community. It selected NNTF as one of just a handful of projects to receive funding.

Its final evaluation report states: “While many learnings can still be taken and shared from the project, the work is having word of mouth benefits which are leveraged through DHI’s work across Scotland. For example, it is now supporting related work in Moray and there is knowledge exchange with NHS Lothian. Even where the focus is not falls, the principles of the work translate to other areas and self-management issues.”

Dr Talbot said that the Tech for Better Care programme “enabled us to work alongside older adults, carers, community organisations, health and social care professionals, and innovation partners to explore how digital approaches can support earlier identification of falls risk and frailty.

“One of the most important lessons from this work has been that technology alone is never the solution. Effective prevention depends on understanding people's experiences, supporting access to the right help at the right time, and designing solutions around what matters to individuals and communities.”

She added: “The report is a timely reminder that successful innovation depends not only on technology, but also on relationships, trust, inclusion and partnership working. These principles continue to shape the development of NNTF and the next stage of its journey.”