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Monitree is a financial wellbeing app designed specifically for NHS staff.

Monitree is co-founded by Stuart Foster and Sabrina Ahmed, two doctors who have worked in the NHS for many years. Stuart is an Emergency Medicine Registrar with a degree in Economics and Management Sciences and Sabrina is a General Practice Registrar with a degree in Psychology. 

Stuart and Sabrina have been friends and colleagues for over 7 years and are both part of the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme and Mid and South Essex Trust Innovation Fellowship. 

“The NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme has been an invaluable resource in the development of Monitree for NHS staff. From the mentorship and networking opportunities to the guidance on navigating the complexities of the healthcare system, the programme has provided us with the support we needed to turn our idea into a reality. We are proud to be part of a community that values innovation and is committed to improving healthcare for all.” Sabrina Ahmed- Monitree

The idea for Monitree came about through their own frustrations with not understanding money topics. Since mid-2022, they have been working hard on developing a resource that makes life a little bit easier for NHS staff who have had a rough time in recent years. 

“Our vision is for the entire workforce to have access to and benefit from this resource. We are striving for a significant positive impact for both the user and the NHS as a whole.”

The Problem

Poor financial wellbeing is associated with a myriad of negative outcomes. Research has consistently shown that those with financial worries are less productive at work, take more sick days, have higher rates of depression and anxiety and are much more likely to leave their current employer. 

Financial worries are common across all groups of staff, especially now with the cost-of-living crisis and years of public sector pay cuts in real-terms. The financial cost to the NHS is enormous; research commissioned by NHS England estimates this to be around £2 million per 5,000 staff which equates to £500 million annually across the whole workforce.

The Innovation

Monitree is a financial wellbeing app inspired by both the usefulness of Money Saving Expert and the gamified experience of Duolingo. The team have created a platform to engage and inform current and future NHS staff and to empower them to take control of their finances. 

The app includes easy to understand guides on a wide range of money topics, from pensions to reclaiming tax on expenses, salary sacrifice schemes to maternity pay.

“Monitree is the only resource that has collated and simplified all this information in one place. It is solely designed to save NHS staff time, stress and money – and best of all, it’s free” Sabrina Ahmed – Monitree

This pilot version contains around 10 guides, efficient calculators and a function for NHS staff to scan their ID cards for quick and easy access to NHS discounts in store. 

The team have more features in development, including a free budget planning tool, a financial calendar and a forum where staff can discuss money topics with other colleagues. The model will continuously improve and develop based on user feedback.

“We are big fans of the “lean startup” model for growing our business. In short, despite the fact that Monitree is currently far from the finished product, we are about to launch! We want to find out as soon as possible if the general concept we have gone for is something that staff will use and engage with. If it is, great. If we’ve missed the mark, we’ll change it and go again.” Stuart Foster – Monitree

The app has just launched and is available for download.

For more information about the innovation visit the Monitree website or visit the app stores:

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