https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/our-research/drive-unit-for-digital-innovation/
DRIVE Unit for digital innovation
Our Data Research, Innovation and Virtual Environments unit (GOSH DRIVE) is our centre for digital innovation and aims to transform the use of data and technology in healthcare to improve outcomes and experience for children and young people.
DRIVE is a state-of-the-art unit dedicated to innovation through data and digital technologies, with partnerships across the NHS, industry and academia.
"A culture of innovation means pushing forward great ideas that benefit our children and young people, and their families, hospital staff and its operations."
Stephen Mathew, Head of Innovation at GOSH
Turning bold ideas into action
DRIVE facilitates the development of ideas into new data and technology solutions that are scalable across the NHS and beyond. Our robust data infrastructure and capability in data science enable us to carry out early-stage testing of new data driven technologies in healthcare settings.
Collaboration
DRIVE brings together expertise and experiences in a collaborative approach as together, we can do so much. We provide colleagues within Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), as well as external partners in the NHS, academia and industry with access to subject matter expertise and resources including non-identifiable data where appropriate.
Engagement with our staff, patients and families
Children and young people and those that support them are at the centre of what we do. Involvement and engagement of patients, families and hospital staff will help DRIVE and our partners to make the most of game-changing technologies. We endeavour to grow a culture of innovation and embed the adoption of clinical informatics across GOSH.
DRIVE is located at Level 1, 40 Bernard Street, WC1N 1LE, less than 10 minutes from GOSH and the UCL GOS Institute of Child Health, providing readily accessible space, which brings together expertise from medicine, academia, data science and industry. These provide the opportunity to host unique events and maximise productivity and collaboration.
The space has seen meetings and events hosted for our wide range of stakeholders from children and young people to national and international policy makers.
Our 5 year impact report explains how this first-of-its-kind unit led to improvements in research and innovation, and care for children and young people with serious and complex health conditions.
Our healthcare system must leverage data and digital technologies to improve the outcomes for and experience of patients and their carers. This can also help to support healthcare staff.
Ways we are advancing digital innovation
Secure Digital Research Environment
Following the introduction of our Electronic Patient Record in 2017, we knew we needed a secure environment to make the best use of the data that we were collecting. The GOSH Digital Research Environment (DRE) is a safe space where patient data can be stored, anonymised and analysed for research purposes.
Advanced data analytics
The Clinical Insights Unit (CIU) uses advanced data analytics to support operational decision making at GOSH. By partnering with the clinical and operational teams, the CIU team can understand their needs and build digital tools to enable data-driven decision making to help run the hospital.
Innovation Hub
The Innovation Hub supports development and early-stage testing of data and technology solutions to be scaled in practice at GOSH and beyond. The team have expertise in technology project and partnership management, healthcare evaluation and outcomes measurement. The Hub also brings together expertise from across the hospital to develop ideas for use of data and technology, and to test them.
Supporting academia
Our Clinical Informatic Research Programme (CIRP) collaborates with Higher Education Institutes across the UK. CIRP funds data scientists, clinical and non-clinical PhD fellowships, internships, and other activities that enable research. It focusses on developing the use of data and technology to transform delivery of care, for the benefit of patients at GOSH and the wider NHS.
Collaborate or partner with us
We know that when we work together and combine expertise, resources and learnings we can achieve so much more. That is why partnerships and collaborations are core to our mission.
We are also part of many national and international networks, meaning the work we do not only benefits our patients at GOSH, but also patients across the world.