Health Innovation West of England has launched a primary care accelerator, in partnership with One Care, the GP federation for general practice in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
The programme looks to attract innovators and digital solutions that address pressures in primary care, workforce efficiency, neighbourhood working, and the management of long-term conditions and frailty. It hopes to support innovations enter the primary care market and gain insights and guidance from general practice.
Through a five-day accelerator programme, innovators will be supported with a deep understanding of primary care, clinical and operational expertise, support with how to present solutions to primary care stakeholders effectively, and to understand funding and future developments in primary care.
The deadline to apply is 23 August 2026.
Wider trend: Digital primary care
HTN was joined for a recent HTN Now webinar by an expert panel to discuss AI in primary care, covering successes and challenges with implementing AI in primary care, governance, adoption, and other practical learnings. Katie Baker, Director UK & Ireland of Tandem Health; Mateen Ellahi, GP and member of NHSE primary care advisory group, South Stockton PCN, Elm Tree Surgery; and Paul Miller, head of IT at Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB made up our panel.
For another HTN Now panel discussion, we spoke to experts from across the healthcare sector on the future of general practice core systems. This included exploring potential opportunities and areas of future growth, considering challenges such as integration and interoperability, and outlining what good looks like in this space. Our panellists were Bex Cottey, business manager for Conisbrough GPs, Emma Stratful, chief operating officer at OX.DH, Dr Sheikh Mateen Ellahi, GP and practice partner at ELM Tree Surgery and South Stockton Primary Care Network and Dr Shanker Vijayadeva, GP lead, digital transformation for the London region at NHS England.
European AI and digital health company Doctolib, has announced an investment into Medicus with commitments of over £100 million to hire 150 people and establish a full R&D centre in London. “Doctolib and Medicus will build on the strong product, team and understanding of NHS primary care that Medicus has built, while bringing Doctolib’s AI and technological expertise and track record with more than 40,000 GPs in Europe,” Doctolib stated in the announcement. Medicus will continue to operate with its team, including CEO and founder, with an aim to grow following being the first new GP clinical software system in the NHS in 25 years.
