Reconfiguring Maternity through Comprehensive Maternal Health Screening

In this case study, Ellescope, an alumnus company of the Accelerating FemTech programme, shares how their maternal health screening software is helping clinicians address health disparities in maternity.

Overview 

High rates of maternal deaths and severe health complications among Black and Asian women in the UK have remained unchanged since 2014. The 2023 ‘Saving Babies’ Lives’ report revealed that the UK continues to lag behind other major European countries in maternal mortality, while the 2022 MBRRACE-UK report found that suicide remains the leading cause of direct maternal deaths, with 40% of all cases linked to severe mental health or social disadvantages, including substance use.

Despite these troubling statistics, the NHS still lacks effective systems and tools to accurately screen and stratify pregnant women at risk for poor outcomes, both in physical and mental health. This gap highlights the urgent need for more comprehensive, data-driven approaches to maternal care. To address this issue, Ellescope has developed an innovative end-to-end solution for preventative maternity care. Their data-driven platform assesses health risks during pregnancy, empowering healthcare professionals to intervene early and personalise patient care.

Journey 

Ellescope was founded by Dr. Sandra Nwokeoha, a biomedical engineer with a PhD from the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford. While serving as an Innovation Fellow at a primary care center in one of London’s most deprived boroughs, she recognised the urgent need for innovation to support women facing psychosocial challenges during maternity.

Drawing from her expertise as a medical device engineer, Dr. Nwokeoha collaborated with healthcare providers to validate her concept and build an initial evidence base. Early research demonstrated that using Ellescope’s data-driven maternal assessment approach led to improved patient-reported outcomes for up to 62.5% of pregnant women, addressing a wide range of health concerns.

The endorsement of Ellescope’s prototype from key stakeholders further validated the need to drive product development and wider NHS uptake.

Support from Accelerating FemTech 

Through the Accelerating FemTech programme, Ellescope has gained crucial insights into NHS information governance and refined its Go-to-Market strategy. A key outcome of the programme was a strategic connection that enabled Ellescope to nationally distribute a research survey to maternity leads across the UK. This initiative provided valuable clinical feedback, helping to refine user requirements based on a broader range of perspectives.

In addition, the coaching and mentorship offered through the programme have sharpened Ellescope’s long-term vision and business plan, while also opening doors to new stakeholders and partnerships.

Impact/Outcomes 

• National dissemination of an Ellescope User Research Survey to maternity care staff across the country
• Grant writing training has supported the successful receipt of the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst grant
• Business case development and continuous market intelligence gathering from stakeholders

Ellescope’s solution is truly needed! The increasingly complex needs of our women coupled with workforce shortages can’t be addressed without smart clinical systems that personalise care for expectant mums and increase staff efficiency.

Annabel W.
Midwife

Next Steps 

Ellescope plans to use its Innovate UK grants – the Unlocking Potential Award and Biomedical Catalyst – to advance the development of its solution. These funds will be used to conduct a clinical study in secondary care and to build out a comprehensive regulatory and health economic strategy. The team is also exploring the next phase of their clinical evaluation roadmap, which includes the development of prospective clinical investigation protocols.

To find out more about Ellescope, please visit their website.

Accelerating FemTech helps early-stage companies, university spinouts and academic entrepreneurs focused on women’s health to gain the commercial and funding momentum they need for long-term success. The 10-week programme supports innovators to prepare for a special closed-call funding opportunity through Innovate UK’s Biomedical Catalyst, delivered alongside a collaborative learning programme and facilitated networking with key NHS and health sector stakeholders. 

Accelerating FemTech is delivered by the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London and its partners. It utilises Innovate UK funding as part of the Biomedical Catalyst, in collaboration with the Medical Research Council. The programme builds upon the experience of running the award-winning DigitalHealth.London Accelerator, Propel and other innovator support programmes from the health innovation networks. The first cohort ran from May 2023, where alumni were awarded more than £1m in funding through the Biomedical Catalyst. The second cohort will run between 2024 and 2025. Register your interest now and learn more about Accelerating FemTech via our website.