Big Echo Wins with Community-Driven Heart Screening Idea

How can we help more adults in Greater Manchester get screened for heart disease before it’s too late?

That was the challenge posed at Health Innovation Manchester’s latest innovation hackathon, held last Friday at the MediaCity Immersive Technologies Innovation Hub.

A Regional Health Gap

Heart disease remains one of Greater Manchester’s most pressing health challenges.

Healthy life expectancy in some parts of the region is just 54 years - 16 years lower than the UK’s highest.

Despite free NHS heart checks being available for adults aged 40–74, only 27% currently attend.

The hackathon brought together professionals of all backgrounds, and teamed them up with healthcare professionals and community voices, to explore new ways to change that.

Learning from the Community

Big Echo joined forces with other professionals, patients and community members to understand the barriers preventing people from attending health checks.

We spoke directly to local service users about what motivates people to take action on their health.

We heard stories about:

• Weekly “meals on wheels” gatherings at local mosques
• The influence of religious leaders in shaping community behaviour
• Civic pride as a powerful motivator for participation

The big takeaway was people are more motivated by immediate, shared gains than by preventing distant, potential risks.

People are more motivated by immediate, shared gains than by preventing distant, potential risks.

A JustGiving for Health Checks

Our team's solution flipped the traditional prevention narrative.

What if health screenings could deliver immediate community value - a shared experience rather than an individual chore?

The team proposed a community-driven platform for early detection, inspired by the social, participatory nature of fundraising sites like JustGiving.

Residents could collectively organise and promote heart-check events, unlocking local pride, shared stories, and tangible impact.

A Winning Idea

On behalf of our team, I pitched the concept to the judging panel, and we were selected as one of the winners to progress to the next round of development.

It felt great to work on a challenge that really matters - something that can actually save lives. The energy in the room was amazing, and it showed how collaboration and creativity can turn complex health challenges into something engaging and accessible.

A huge thank you to everyone who made the day so inspiring:

• Mario Dubois for the invitation and coordination
• Steve Ryde for being a great teammate
• Roger McKinley for his enthusiastic facilitation
• Caroline Dykeman and Dr Shiron Rajendran for their guidance
• Pooya Soltani for helping capture the day on film

What’s Next

Our team will continue to refine and develop the idea alongside Health Innovation Manchester in the next phase of the programme.

It was a brilliant way to end the week - surrounded by people passionate about using innovation to tackle real-world problems and improve lives across Greater Manchester.