LOLA Leads the Way: Innovate & SWFT Win at HSJ Digital Awards 2025
We are thrilled to announce that South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT), in partnership with Innovate, has won the Supporting Elective Recovery Through Digital award at the HSJ Digital Awards 2025 for the successful implementation of LOLA - a virtual assistant powered by empathetic artificial intelligence (AI) that is transforming referral screening in the Warwickshire Wheelchair Service.
LOLA, developed by Tucuvi, is an AI-powered virtual clinical assistant introduced to SWFT and Innovate by SCC. The solution was implemented by Innovate’s Digital Hub team in close collaboration with clinical colleagues at SWFT. Using conversational AI, LOLA conducts referral screening calls with patients, gathers key triage information through approved clinical protocol, and sends it directly to clinicians - enabling faster decision-making and shortening the length of care pathways.
Since launching in November 2023, LOLA has had a remarkable impact. It has eliminated a long-standing referral backlog, reduced routine referral-to-treatment times by more than fourfold, and brought greater consistency and efficiency to the triage process. Staff have reported increased satisfaction, as clinicians are now freed up to concentrate on direct patient care, while patients benefit from faster, more responsive service.
This award reflects the strength of the partnership between Innovate and the Trusts and highlights the value that we bring to NHS organisations - offering the expertise, capacity, and drive to turn ideas into award-winning solutions that improve care and enable transformation. It also marks a significant achievement for the Digital Hub, a small but agile team that successfully delivered LOLA as its first end-to-end pilot project.
Bridgit Vorster-Gibbons, Principal Occupational Therapist at SWFT, said: “We are delighted to be recognised for our work in transforming the referral process through digital innovation. LOLA has enabled us to handle growing referral volumes far more efficiently, improving patient access to the service. Having previously spent up to three days a week on referral screening, support from LOLA has freed up highly skilled clinicians to return to hands-on patient care. It’s been a true game-changer for our service, enhancing patient outcomes and strengthening our ability to meet rising demand.”
Petra Patty-Bradley, Innovation Lead at Innovate, added: “LOLA represents everything the Digital Hub is intended to be - a true team effort that turns ideas into tangible outcomes, making a real difference to both patients and staff. This project is a proud milestone for our team and a testament to not just the way we work, but also to the kind of impact we strive for across everything we do. We are incredibly proud that our first end-to-end project has achieved such meaningful results for both patients and staff.”
At Innovate, we’re committed to leading NHS digital transformation by delivering practical, scalable solutions that respond directly to clinical needs. Projects like LOLA exemplify how smart digital tools can streamline pathways, enhance patient experience, and support elective recovery, demonstrating the meaningful, sustainable impact of innovation when closely aligned with frontline priorities.