News story

Healthcare UK promotes digital innovation at Arab Health in Dubai

'How digital technology can improve outcomes and efficiency' was the focus for Healthcare UK at the largest healthcare show in the Middle East.

This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government
The Healthcare UK delegation at Arab Health 2018 led by Health Minister Lord O’Shaughnessy

The Healthcare UK delegation at Arab Health 2018 led by Health Minister Lord O’Shaughnessy (4th from right) and managing director Deborah Kobewka (2nd from left), with the leaders of Babylon Health, Helicon Health , i5 Health and iamYiam.

The healthcare sector in the Middle East is changing fast. It is responding to rapidly growing demands for preventive care, and for effective ways to reduce lifestyle-related diseases and ensure a longer, healthier life for citizens.

The sector is moving towards specialist, more personalised healthcare with much greater interaction and self-management enabled by the ever-growing digital technology.

The extraordinary and unique combination of the UK’s National Health Service’s (NHS) huge data assets, its world-leading centres of clinical excellence and the UK’s vibrant tech sector is producing some of the most innovative, evidence-based digital health solutions in the world today, in areas such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, virtual and augmented reality as well as big data analytics.

Focus on prevention, quality and innovation

At Arab Health 2018 in Dubai (29 January – 1 February 2018) Healthcare UK showcased how the best of British healthcare provides exactly what healthcare leaders in the Middle East are looking for. The focus was on prevention, quality and innovation, with exceptional applications in the field of digital healthcare. Four outstanding UK digital healthcare companies were on display:

UK delegation led by Lord O’Shaughnessy

The UK delegation was led by Lord O’Shaughnessy, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care.

Lord O’Shaughnessy said:

The NHS’s unparalleled collection of data enables the development of innovative solutions based on real-world scenarios and evidence. Combining that vast data set with clinical excellence (we have 3 of the top 4 medical schools worldwide) and outstanding technology companies means that the UK is at the cutting edge of healthcare innovation and technology.

High level of commercial interest generated

The combination of 4 outstanding UK companies presenting from an attractive, interactive and eye-catching set, a busy programme of supporting seminars and a package of other engagement activity was very effective in generating a high level of commercial interest. A major contract between babylon and the Saudi Ministry of Health was signed on the event stand, and a number of other contract discussions are proceeding well.

Healthcare UK is a joint initiative of the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Department for International Trade.

Contact us at healthcare.uk@trade.gov.uk to discuss how we can help you, whether you are a UK-based supplier or an international buyer.

Updates to this page

Published 8 February 2018