Darzi Fellowship: Setting Up a Digital Health Living Lab in East Sussex to Advance Healthcare Innovation.

This project establishes a Digital Health Living Lab in East Sussex to advance healthcare innovation and service improvement. Developed as part of a Darzi Fellowship, it brings together patients, clinicians, researchers, and technology partners to co-design and test digital health solutions in real-world environments.

Using the Living Lab approach, an open and user-centred model of innovation, the project enables the collaborative development of digital tools that address key challenges such as managing long-term conditions, supporting independent living, and improving communication across health and social care.

The initiative forms the foundation of the University of Brighton’s Digital Health Living Lab, which continues to foster partnerships between academia, the NHS, community organisations, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Together, these partners are creating a sustainable ecosystem for digital innovation that supports more connected, inclusive, and person-centred care in East Sussex.

The project demonstrated that the Living Lab model is a powerful enabler of digital health innovation within real-world care settings. Co-creation with patients, clinicians, and community partners led to stronger adoption and sustainability of digital tools addressing local health priorities, such as monitoring wellbeing, reducing social isolation, and supporting independent living.

Early outcomes showed improved collaboration between academia, the NHS, and small and medium-sized enterprises, creating an innovation ecosystem that bridges research and practice. The work also highlighted the importance of ethical design, digital inclusion, and stakeholder engagement as critical factors for successful implementation and long-term impact.