Gamification in healthcare
- Written by: Phillip Smy — Pocket Sized Hands — Producer
- Published: 29th November 2018
Phil introduces the Discover Glasgow Digital Trail and the concept of gamification in healthcare.
Hi everyone! My name is Phil Smy and I’m a part of Pocket Sized Hands (this link will take you away from our website). We’re a software and games company based in sunny Dundee, Scotland.
Discover Glasgow
Pocket Sized Hands were originally approached by the ALLIANCE to create ‘Discover Glasgow’. Discover Glasgow is a digital trail which aims to increase awareness of population health and the different services and attractions relating to public health in the city of Glasgow. By visiting different places in Glasgow and ‘checking in’ you’ll be able to learn more about the different services available in Glasgow, as well as general information about the city. Other than learning more about Glasgow, you’ll also enter a prize draw to win some amazing prizes! You can take part with your mobile phone by visiting: alliance-scotland.org.uk/DiscoverDigital/Glasgow.
Be sure to turn on location services and mobile data. Happy hunting!
Discover Digital
We were lucky enough to be invited to exhibit at both the Dundee and Glasgow events which formed part of the Discover Digital awareness week. Exhibiting at both events was a great experience in which we were able to meet some amazing people and get some incredibly useful feedback on Dish Life. Dish Life is a mobile game we’re currently developing with Cambridge University. Dish Life aims to educate players about stem cells in society and the caregiving elements of stem cell research. Having both the public as well as the exhibitors being able to play the game and to receive their feedback, was invaluable to ourselves at Pocket Sized Hands.
Gamification and healthcare
Dish Life is a great example of the type of work we do at Pocket Sized Hands. Myself and the rest of the team at Pocket Sized Hands are incredibly passionate about healthcare as well as the use of games design techniques (gamification) to educate people. For us, Discover Digital was a great way to meet more people from the healthcare industry and to inform them about the use of games to engage people with healthcare.
You can find out more about what we do at Pocket Sized Hands by visiting our website: http://pocketsizedhands.com (this link will take you away from our website).
End of page.
You may also like:
Isabella Goldie of Deafblind Scotland reflects on the value of partnership work.
Continue readingFind out more about the inaugural Power of Attorney Day taking place on 22 April 2026.
Continue readingDr Hannah Tweed reflects on 20 years of the Scottish Sensory Hub, the important work they do and why it matters.
Continue readingAs part of our 20 year anniversary, Kerry shares her reflections on how far the ALLIANCE has come, our achievements, and our impact.
Continue readingIn her latest TFN column, our Chief Officer Sara Redmond reflects on 20 years since Scotland moved to put children at the centre of policy.
Continue readingCancer care in Scotland is at a critical moment. Macmillan is calling for urgent action ahead of the parliamentary elections in May
Continue readingMhairi Campbell reflects on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) not being recognised as having a severe impact on life.
Continue readingLucy Mulvagh shares how she used the Centre for Public Policy Practice Fellowship to examine prevention and its barriers to implementation
Continue readingLaura from Perth and Kinross HSCP shares how we can celebrate World Social Work Day through the lens of 'What Matters To You?'.
Continue readingReflections on the Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education) Bill
Continue readingLouise Hall from Pain Association Scotland reflects on the event she delivered as part of Self Management Week 2025.
Continue readingAct Now for Autistic Rights calls for a transformative Bill for autistic and neurodiverse communities
Continue readingIn the next decade, the role of digital in health and social care must embed our digital human rights principles to reduce inequalities.
Continue readingRead some reflections from ALLIANCE colleagues, who had the opportunity to sponsor and attend Scotland's Annual Human Rights Conference.
Continue reading“Our Collective Voice” is a hopeful vision for the next five years, and I encourage ALLIANCE members to bring it into their own campaigns.
Continue readingBy standing together, we can help ensure that everyone in Scotland has access to the compassionate, high quality palliative care.
Continue readingALLIANCE Scottish Sensory Hub Manager Dr Hannah Tweed reflects on the launch of the BSL network for public bodies.
Continue readingSimone Janse van Rensburg reflects on the impact of their Women Living Well event which featured as part of Self Management Week 2025.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Women’s Health Lived Experience Group reflect on their input to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.
Continue readingWellbeing Scotland’s Chief Clinical Officer Ashleigh Ronald highlights why we must shift stigmatising narratives around child abuse.
Continue readingAs we mark twenty years of the ALLIANCE, Person Centred Voices continues to show the power of listening, kindness and connection.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Women’s Health Lived Experience Group reflect on their input to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Women’s Health Lived Experience Group reflect on their input to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Women’s Health Lived Experience Group reflect on their input to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Women’s Health Lived Experience Group reflect on their input to Phase 2 of the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan.
Continue reading