Public Procurement and Property

Investing in innovative technology to transform lives in Scotland

October 3, 2025 by Scottish Procurement No Comments | Category Procurement news, Scottish Procurement, Uncategorized

The Scottish Government have committed to spending £1.9 million to support the delivery of Ambulatory Electrocardiogram (ECG) patch monitors, with the potential to prevent more than 700 secondary strokes over the next 5 years, and more than 300 deaths in Scotland.

The devices are small, easy to use and allow doctors to make prompt, effective decisions about further treatment. Worn on the skin, the devices are wireless, water resistant and are used for up to 14 days to detect heart rhythm abnormalities, particularly atrial fibrillation which is a leading cause of stroke.

The devices will help the NHS by:

freeing up the equivalent of 15.7 full-time cardiac physiologists for other vital services
reducing diagnosis and treatment times from up to 24 months to just 3 weeks
cost savings for the NHS could amount to £14.6 million over 5 years
helping to eliminate regional disparities in diagnosis and treatment

This project is a key part of the Scottish Government’s plan to modernise the NHS and is being delivered through the Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway. It was put forward through Scotland Innovates – a platform that makes it easier for industry partners to suggest new technologies for use in the NHS.

Starting in November 2026, ECG Patch Monitors will be introduced across Scotland in a phased rollout over the following 12 months.

Dr Faheem Ahmad, Consultant Cardiologist & Cardiology Innovation Lead at QEUH Glasgow & WoS Innovation Hub said:

“Scotland Innovates has helped provide a clear and accessible front door for businesses, clinicians and academics to bring forward ideas that can transform patient care. The pathway has been key in moving ECG patch technology through the final stages from a tested concept to being considered for national adoption, ensuring innovations with strong clinical and economic evidence are scaled quickly across NHS Scotland. By streamlining engagement and linking proposals into the Innovation Hubs and into the ANIA process, Scotland Innovates helps us modernise services, improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities.”

For more information on the ECG patch monitors, including background, please visit the links below.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland advice on ECG patch monitors

Scottish stroke improvement programme

National Innovation Week

For further information on public procurement in Scotland please visit www.gov.scot/procurement

Please email enquiries to scottishprocurement@gov.scot

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