Muscat, April 1, 2019: Locum’s Nest, the smart platform for health services that was developed by Omani doctor, Ahmed Shahrabani, with the support of Innovation Development Oman Holding SAOC (IDO Investments), has succeeded in proving its presence in the healthcare market of the United Kingdom (UK). The platform, which provides rotation services for doctors in various hospitals, has reached more than 10,000 doctors, along with 20 hospitals currently benefiting from its services.
Dr Ahmed Shahrabani said, “I knew from the beginning that Locum’s Nest had promising prospects for success, but financing it was the only obstacle. This was later overcome with IDO’s entrance as an investor in the platform. About two years later, Locum’s Nest has currently become one of the most widely deployed technological solutions in the healthcare sector within the UK. It has helped National Health Service hospitals save over three million pounds and achieve a high attendance rate for doctors’ shifts, further boosting confidence in its services and potential growth in the future.”
Talal Hasan from IDO Investments said, “We are delighted with the great success of our investment in Locum’s Nest, which is a testament to the value of investing in start-up companies that work on innovative ideas. In the coming stages, we will seek to bring the services of this smart platform to the Omani market so as to maximise its benefits on the healthcare sector in the Sultanate. This initiative will also enhance the role played by IDO in transferring technologies to Oman.”
“Our aim now is to provide the services of this platform to the Sultanate, which currently relies on external training of medical personnel to provide quality health care services in all the Wilayats of the Sultanate. Currently, the Ministry of Health relies on sourcing doctors via the Ministry of Manpower, external agents and adverts on their website, however they’ve come to realise that the current method is inefficient. This is where Locum’s Nest steps in, and it will be modified in order to benefit Omani hospitals by granting them access to specialist UK doctors. This in turn will allow them to come for 1-3 months of clinical placements with the focus on the primary areas of medicine required in Oman, which include those related to rural and expedition medicines. This will help transfer knowledge from specialist UK doctors to the local Omani hospitals,” Dr Shahrabani added.
Established in 2016, IDO Investments is a venture capital firm created by the State General Reserve Fund, Oman Oil Company S.A.O.C, The Research Council, and Oman Telecommunications S.A.O.G. The company has ever since, strived to identify and invest in innovative, scalable companies that have the potential to become global ventures.
