Sleepio is an online cognitive behavioural therapy programme designed to help people overcome poor sleep. It won the award for best designed health innovation in 2013 at the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) in Doha. The award was presented by Jonathan Dimbleby.
Fifteen innovations were selected for presentation at the meeting. Selection was based on the votes of the 1000 delegates who represented 67 countries and included health policy makers, government officials and others in key leadership positions all over the world. The meeting was chaired by Lord Ara Darzi and hosted by the Qatari Foundation. Dignitaries attending the summit included HRH The Duke of York, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Boris Johnson.
Colin Espie said: 'We developed Sleepio to give the many millions of people who struggle with chronic insomnia access to effective practical help for their sleep problems. We are delighted that our work has been recognised in this way, and hope that the award will also give encouragement to those who suffer from insomnia, because up until now the only thing really available to them was sleeping pills.'