South Hampshire College Group have been announced as a finalist in the SEHTA Healthcare Business Awards in the Partnership between Academia and Business category.
This nomination highlights the college group’s support in the development of the MYRA app, an innovative digital tool designed to help reduce delayed hospital discharges, commonly known as ‘bed blocking’, which costs the NHS an estimated £6 million per day.
Level 3 students played a key role in the app’s initial testing and research. Through visits to University Hospital Southampton, they gathered first-hand patient feedback to help refine the app’s functionality and user experience.
MYRA is designed to support patients after discharge, by connecting them to important community services, such as recovery units and outpatient therapies. As a result of students’ primary testing and research, there has been a 900% increase in app downloads and discussions are now underway for the app’s adoption within NHS operations and settings.
The SEHTA (Science and Engineering Health Technologies Alliance) Healthcare Business Awards celebrate the best collaborations between industry, the NHS and education providers in the South East of England, showcasing innovations that address real-world challenges.
Janet Hadfield, Innovation Manager at South Hampshire College Group, said: “Healthcare is an amazing sector to work in and this is something we’re trying to instil in all of our students. Myra is one of many strategic projects we are involved with that are tackling real issues and providing students with wonderful opportunities. Being exposed to primary testing this early in their educational journey, as opposed to typical exposure in the late stages of university, is fantastic and supports students getting out in the field and making a real difference.”
The SEHTA awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 23 April 2026 at The Stadium, Scale Space White City, London, from 16:00 to 19:00.
For any further information on SEHTA’s work, please visit their website here.
For further information on the MYRA app, please visit their website here or explore it for yourself by downloading from Google Play or App Store.
