New QMU and Heriot-Watt collaboration advances patient healthcare outcomes
Queen Margaret University (QMU) is driving forward its innovation and entrepreneurial activities with the establishment of a new Practitioner in Residence post. The position, which will bring together expertise and innovative solutions in healthcare and digital technology across QMU and Heriot-Watt University, will help improve and transform the delivery of healthcare services in Scotland.
Dr Lisa Salisbury, Reader in Physiotherapy, takes up the role, which will see QMU progress new collaborative projects with the Global Research Institute (GRI) in Health and Care Technologies at Heriot-Watt.
Lisa, who is a highly accomplished clinician with extensive NHS experience, will lead collaboration across the areas of nursing, allied health professions and health science practice at QMU with Heriot-Watt’s GRI in Health and Care Technologies. The aim is to generate more multidisciplinary research and collaborations that will improve health outcomes for patients in the NHS and community health settings.
Made possible with part-funding from the Scottish Funding Council the move will facilitate the pooling of key expertise across the two institutions to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative new solutions to significant global health challenges. The collaboration between healthcare practice and advanced technology will facilitate the swift integration of new health technologies that can better support the delivery of sustainable person-centred care across healthcare providers.
Dr Lisa Salisbury said: “QMU offers the largest range of nursing and allied health profession training in Scotland and Heriot-Watt University is developing innovative technology and engineering solutions to the most pressing health challenges of our time, including cancer, chronic diseases, mental health, and global health threats, with a particular focus on improving patient care and health outcomes. Through a unique interdisciplinary and patient centred approach, we are combining the expertise of engineers, scientists, healthcare professionals, and researchers to push the boundaries of what's possible in health and care innovation."
This novel exchange of expertise will see us create new research pathways and creative solutions in areas of healthcare. It allows us to be more capable and ambitious in developing innovative solutions that will significantly advance healthcare outcomes for people in Scotland and beyond.
Professor Richard Butt, Deputy Principal of Queen Margaret University, said: “Digital technology is radically changing how care is delivered across Scotland, offering the most transformative innovation opportunity the health and social care sectors have faced this century. We are therefore delighted to announce our first Practitioner in Residence appointment during the Scottish Government’s Innovation Week 2025, and we are particularly pleased to support the development of female leadership in this important and novel new research and innovation role.
“We look forward to expanding our research capabilities and working with our talented colleagues at Heriot-Watt University on a wide variety of ground-breaking projects which will positively impact the way healthcare is delivered in the future.”
QMU is keen to develop novel ways to engage with collaborators and the new Practitioner in Residence position is just one example in which the University is furthering its research and knowledge exchange ambitions for its staff and students. The University is passionate about supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, and is pleased that the role of Practitioner in Residence aligns with recommendations in the The Scottish Government’s Entrepreneurial Campus Blueprint.
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The Practitioner in Residence work starts in the academic year 2025-26, and aims to progress the strategic collaboration between the two universities, and identify new cross-institutional and interdisciplinary innovation pathways to translate blue-sky research into health outcomes and impact across NHS Scotland and community health settings.
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Blueprint report titled "The Entrepreneurial Campus: The higher education sector as a driving force for the entrepreneurial ecosystem" for Scotland’s post-16 education institutions presented by Ross Tuffee and Professor Joe Little. This report sets out a number of thematic actions over a 10 year strategy to collaboratively support our National Strategy for Economic Transformation.
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The Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies at Heriot-Watt University aims to expedite the advancement of new technologies to improve patient care. Collaborating with industry, stakeholders, academics and charities, we are dedicated to addressing health challenges of global significance. Its goal is to deliver innovative, sustainable and user-inspired solutions through a co-creative approach.
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The School of Health Sciences at Queen Margaret University offers the largest range of professional healthcare courses at any university in Scotland.
For further media information, please contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk (copy to pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk ) M: 07711 011239.
