Frontline insight can translate to award-winning innovation when you add passion, skill and a vision. One of our brilliant support workers recently won top honours at the Portsmouth Tech and Cultural Summit Hackathon and Ideation Pitch event.
Victoria’s journey began not in a tech lab, but in her day-to-day role as a healthcare support worker. She saw first-hand the risks and stress caused by medication stockouts. The missed doses, delays, and the anxiety it creates for both staff and vulnerable patients. Drawing from her frontline experience, Victoria pinpointed the problem, crafted a solution with care, and built MedTrack with determination and insight.
That idea became MedTrack. A smart, streamlined solution designed to help care homes and healthcare providers monitor medication stock levels and prevent shortages.
This experience taught me that innovation doesn’t always start in boardrooms or with big budgets. It often begins with someone on the ground noticing a problem and daring to solve it.
At the summit, Victoria pitched MedTrack with clarity, passion, and purpose. Her idea stood out for its creativity, problem–solution fit, and relevance to the care sector. She was also the only woman in the top five finalists, and she won!
But behind the award is a deeper story of resilience and leadership. As Victoria shares:
MedTrack was born directly from my frontline experience. I identified the problem, envisioned the solution, and built the project from the ground up—not from supervision or external direction. It was doubted until it won recognition. This project is a reminder that innovation can come from any level, and true leadership means acknowledging and supporting good ideas rather than claiming them.
Top five
Victoria’s background includes technical experience prior to moving to the UK. But assumptions about her support role led some to underestimate her capabilities. Submitting MedTrack to the hackathon was a bold move, and winning validated not just the idea, but her ability to deliver it.
Presenting at the summit was empowering. The judges valued its simplicity and relevance, reinforcing that powerful solutions don’t always need to be complex.
Her experience as the only woman in the top five added another layer of meaning:
It was both an honour and a reminder that more space needs to be made for women in tech.
Victoria’s hope is that MedTrack becomes a trusted tool for care homes. Improving efficiency, reducing errors, and safeguarding patients who deserve reliable care. The next step is piloting the system, gathering feedback, and refining it for wider use.
Innovation doesn’t always start with big budgets. It often begins with someone on the ground noticing a problem and daring to solve it.
Victoria’s story is a powerful reminder that frontline voices matter. Her achievement has boosted her confidence, encouraged her to think bigger, and reaffirmed her goal of bridging technology with patient care.
To others, especially women, Victoria offers this advice:
Don’t wait for permission. If you see a problem, take that first step to solve it. Your perspective is powerful, and innovation needs it.
