More than £6 million is being invested into technological and scientific health projects as part of the Accelerated National Innovations Adoption (ANIA) programme, it’s been announced.

The projects will help people with type 2 diabetes, stroke patients, and babies who are born with a rare genetic condition.

The first project is a national digital intensive weight management programme which will support 3,000 people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

With £4.5 million invested over three years, the project is expected to help around 40% to achieve remission from the condition by the end of their first year in the programme.

The second project, with a total of £1.1 million, will support testing of recent stroke patients to determine if they have a genetic variation that impairs the benefits of a drug commonly prescribed to reduce the risk of secondary stroke.

This would mean an alternative drug should be considered for the patient.

The third programme, to provide a genetic test for newborn babies, will receive £800,000 in funding.

The test will determine if they have a genetic variation which puts them at risk of permanent hearing loss if they are treated with a common emergency antibiotic.

“In January the First Minister laid out our vision for Scotland’s NHS with digital innovation being a crucial part of our plans to reform health services,” said Neil Gray, the Scottish Government‘s cabinet secretary for health.

“So I am pleased to announce funding for these projects which demonstrate the transformative potential of scientific and technological innovation to improve health and social care.

“These projects have life changing effects for those who will benefit from them, resulting in improved health outcomes and a better quality of life.

“Innovation is transforming healthcare and delivering medical benefits for the people of Scotland and the NHS, which will see reduced pressures as a direct result of projects just like these.”

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The ANIA programme is coordinated by the national Centre for Sustainable Delivery at NHS Golden Jubilee, and draws on expertise from NHS National Services Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Public Health Scotland, and NHS Education for Scotland.

Its aim is to introduce proven medical innovations into the NHS to improve healthcare.