Data can help in the care of people with chronic conditions, says Dr Stephen Friend. It can be gathered in by smartphones or wearable technology, and the information can help with guidance and support.

He says that these methods can be used for a wide range of conditions, from diabetes and arthritis to Parkinson’s and dementia. “This approach is well suited for the UK and also for very low resource areas worldwide.”

Earlier in his career, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Boston and at MIT, Dr Stephen Friend led the team that cloned the first human cancer susceptibility gene. He subsequently assisted with digital health developments at Harvard, the University of Washington and Apple, and is now a Visiting Professor of Connected Medicine at Oxford, living as often as he can around his family in Kirkwall.