Online tele medicine isometric concept. Medical consultation and treatment via application of smartphone connected internet clinic.


Healthcare systems worldwide are striving for the 'quadruple aim' of better population health and reducing inequalities, improved experience of care, healthcare team wellbeing (including that of carers) and lower system costs.
Many technological solutions exist to support this ambition. However, health and care systems are not making the most of the technological revolution, due to a range of architectural, evidential and cultural challenges. 
A particular strength of the Centre for Health Technology is that it brings together a team with expertise not just across a range of technologies but in the barriers to digital transformation in health and social care.

Our priority at the Centre for Health Technology aligns with the Government's 10-year plan, which focuses on prevention rather than sickness. We want to support people in keeping themselves healthy for longer, at home and in their communities.

Digital health technologies, virtual reality, robotics, AI and machine learning make this possible, and we continue to work with end-users as well as clinicians and industry to make sure we're developing these tools in the best possible way for patients.

Sheena AsthanaProfessor Sheena Asthana
Director of Centre for Health Technology

Our mission

  • Support industry to co-design, develop, evaluate and embed digital health technologies (DHTs) within the NHS by addressing institutional enablers and barriers.
  • Generate robust empirical and qualitative evidence on the usability, acceptability, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and system fit of DHTs to inform policy and practice.
  • Investigate and demonstrate the potential of AI (including language models) and robotics in predicting, preventing and managing disease.
  • Promote the adoption of DHTs in community and home settings in line with the government's 10-year prevention-focused health strategy.
  • Refine and generalise co-design and evaluation methodologies for wider use across academia and industry.
  • Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across faculties and support PhD and masters students working on cutting-edge innovations in health and social care.
 
 
 

Research team

 

In the news

Aerial view of Plymouth Hoe
Plymouth awarded funding to develop climate adaptation plans

The University and Plymouth City Council are part of a consortium that has secured support from the Pathways2Resilience programme

27 January 2026
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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