Startups 100 runner up unveils expansion plans

Cera, this year’s second place Startups 100 business, is developing 15 Digital Healthcare Hubs in cities and towns throughout the UK over the next six months.

Founded in 2016, Cera is focused on delivering at-home ‘digitally powered’ healthcare services.

In response to COVID-19, Cera’s smart tech solution has delivered more than 10 million healthcare visits in older people’s homes across the UK since the pandemic’s outbreak.

Now the 15 Hubs, combined with Cera’s existing network throughout the UK, will see the company providing healthcare services to a community equal in size to the capacity of several dozen NHS Hospitals or 1,000 Care Homes every day.

In just over four years, Cera has established itself as one of the largest providers of healthcare at home in the UK, as well as one of the fastest-growing companies in Europe.

Last month, we awarded them second place in our Startups 100 index, which celebrates the most disruptive new businesses in the UK, in recognition of its innovation and stellar growth.

Healthtech paves the way for UK health services

The news of Cera’s expansion comes in light of last week’s budget announcement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, through which £6bn is to be invested in the use of digital technology throughout the NHS.

The NHS is anticipating a winter of unprecedented pressure, due to the ongoing pandemic – with one in ten COVID-19 sufferers experiencing long-term symptoms – a backlog of treatments and surgeries following lockdown and the pending flu season.

Cera’s Digital Healthcare Hubs are dedicated community teams of healthcare professionals who, empowered by pioneering digital technology, deliver services, such as care, nursing, telehealth, home medications and prescriptions, away from a hospital or care home setting.

The expansion will enable Cera to support those suffering from long-COVID, older and vulnerable people who’ve recently been discharged from hospital and those requiring daily care or nursing services, in their own home.

Ben Maruthappu, co-founder and CEO of Cera, commented: “The pandemic has greatly exacerbated, and accelerated, many of the historic challenges that the NHS and social care sector have battled in the UK. It has also, in turn, reaffirmed the need for reform, and to embrace technology and innovation to ensure our older community have access to timely, quality healthcare services.

“Our launch of 15 Digital Healthcare Hubs will alleviate pressures on the NHS and support older people when they need it most, so that they can receive high quality, proactive and digital-first healthcare in the comfort of their own home.”

Cera is also planning to launch it’s Digital Healthcare Hubs in the following cities and towns; London, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Bournemouth, Brighton, Burnley, Colchester, Southampton, Peterborough and Southend-on-Sea.