Ampersand Health is a social-impact focused company - which means we aim to create a positive difference in people's lives.
Our mission is to support individuals in the management of their long-term conditions, so they can live happier, healthier lives. Through our mobile applications and online community programmes, we provide support to individuals so that they can self-manage their inflammatory condition and improve their overall wellbeing. We also partner with NHS Trusts, so patients who use our apps can be monitored and supported by their clinicians outside of routine appointments.
How did we get here?
Before Ampersand Health…
Our current CEO and Co-Founder, Nader Alaghband led a small innovation practice developing exciting technology solutions for healthcare. In 2016, leading London-based clinicians in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Dr Gareth Parkes and Dr Bu Hayee, approached Nader with a challenge to transform the patient experience living with IBD. With a personal connection to IBD and an understanding of the huge potential technology could have to improve care, Nader founded Ampersand Health alongside Gareth and Bu in 2018 and the My IBD Care app was created.
Along the way, we were approached by other hospital departments, academic researchers and experts in Rheumatology and Dermatology – other areas where inflammatory conditions are treated. We soon realised that there are important similarities between inflammatory conditions and that we could use our expertise in building one app, to build others that help more people living with conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Atopic Dermatitis.
In 2019-2020…
With the guidance of leading consultant Rheumatologist and researcher, Dr James Galloway, we developed My Arthritis App. We co-hosted workshops and interviews with people from NRAS (National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society) and users of the app, to tailor the app to life with inflammatory arthritis. We also collaborated with other leading experts in Rheumatology, Dr Jonathan Marks (Consultant Rheumatologist), Dr Yeliz Prior (Occupational Therapist & Researcher), Alison Kent (Specialist Rheumatologist Nurse & Qualified Health Coach who lives with Rheumatoid Arthritis) and others to develop our lifestyle and wellbeing courses within the app.
Awards & Accreditations
Ampersand Health is recognised in the Digital Health Global 100, and has won the HSJ Award, the NHS Ideas Lab, the NHS Hackfest and competitive grants from government and industry. Ampersand Health’s My IBD Care app has full ORCHA approved status. The company was selected for the 2018/19 PWC Scale Health programme and the NHS’s 2019/20 DigitalHealth. London accelerator.
Ampersand Health was also one of 18 digital innovations identified to support vulnerable people during the COVID-19 outbreak as part of the TechForce19 challenge. Ampersand Health’s platform is CE marked as a Class 1 Medical Device, regulated by the MHRA, and has been assessed by NICE and is fully compliant with Information Governance requirements.
What’s next?
By using Ampersand Health apps you are also now part of our story. We are always improving and updating our apps, so join us alongside others living with inflammatory conditions on the journey to transform the patient experience of living with inflammatory conditions.
If you haven’t already, please add your Hospital to your Profile on the app so that we can let you know when your Hospital comes on board and what to do next.