In our latest #OurEntrepreneurs profile we meet cohort 7 Clinical Entrepreneur Harry Fitzpatrick, Medical Doctor.
Tell us a bit about yourself
Hi my name is Harry, I am a medical doctor currently working in the NHS. I have a keen interest in mental health and meditation and have been meditating for over a decade.
Name: Harry Fitzpatrick, NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Cohort 7.
Occupation: Medical Doctor
This interest led me to study a BSc in ‘Psychology and Medicine’ alongside my medical degree. Through this I furthered my understanding of mental health conditions and the neuroscience which underpins them.
I am currently working as a doctor in an acute psychiatric admission unit in London where I see and treat the full spectrum of mental health conditions on a day-to-day basis.
I am excited by digital health and preventative healthcare solutions. To explore this interest further I completed a digital health product development course via Stanford University, I subsequently co-founded ‘Aloe Health’, a digital health start-up aiming to improve parental mental wellbeing.
Why did you apply to the programme and what are you looking forward to?
I initially spoke to a colleague who had taken part in the programme, and they highly recommended it. I started to research more and saw that many people involved in the programme had produced really exciting ideas and had worked on inspiring projects. I thought getting involved myself would allow me to connect with likeminded people and would be a great opportunity to learn!
Tell us about your innovation
Aloe is a digital assessment tool which analyses the emotional wellbeing of any parent in the perinatal period, producing a personalised care plan.
By digitising the assessment Aloe breaks down the barriers which currently exist in the system, allowing individuals to self-assess, anytime, anywhere. Allowing people to take a preventative approach to their wellbeing, as supposed to presenting at a point of crisis.
As someone who works in mental health, too often we see people presenting to the system very late, at a stage when they need urgent intervention and often hospital admission. We hope that by helping people to self-assess and seek support early we will be able to improve wellbeing and reduce the number of people who will require to be admitted to hospital.
My Co-Founder completed a master’s thesis on the topic of perinatal mental health, the business was born out of discussions surrounding this topic and the current gaps which exist in the system.
Our mission is to improve the mental and emotional wellbeing for all individuals in the perinatal period, to prevent human and health-economic consequences.
Our aim is to break down any interconnecting systemic, personal, and societal barriers when accessing perinatal mental health support, to ensure every individual get the right help, at the right time.
What motivates you?
I find I am motivated by my experiences as a clinician, and the idea that we can provide a solution which will bring value/benefit to our users. I am also motivated by collaborating with creative, forward-thinking people!
What are your ambitions for the next year?
We hope to develop our idea further, particularly in researching the B2B segments of our market discovery, and in producing an MVP.
Why do you think innovation is important in healthcare?
Without innovation in healthcare, we will continue to work in the same systems. People will do things because ‘that’s how we have always done it’, this leads to people becoming fatigued, and the services we deliver to not meet the needs of the modern society we live in. If we can collaborate and innovate, this will lead to better services, and a better system as a whole.
How can we find out more?
Please visit the Aloe website for more information.
TRANSFORMING HEALTHCARE THROUGH INNOVATION
