NHS staff and parents to gain access to crucial child health information

NHS Digital | April 2019 | NHS staff and parents to gain access to crucial child health information

A new live service which enable access to important child health information at the point of care for health professionals has been launched by the NHS.

The service, the National Events Management Service, securely publishes information on key health interventions for children. Parents and health professionals can securely receive information digitally and use it to inform decisions on care and treatment, the service is the result of collaboration between NHS Digital and NHS England with IT suppliers.

The service shows which preventative interventions a child has received; improving the speed of diagnosis and treatment by giving health visitors and parents access to the same information sources at the same time.

The service has initially launched in North East London in partnership with North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) and their health visiting and child health services. IT suppliers which already support the Trust have connected their products to the new service.

Full details from  NHS Digital

 

WHO Guideline: recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening

World Health Organization | April 2019 | WHO Guideline: recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening

WHO (World Health Organization) has recommended 10 ways in which countries can use digital health technology, accessible via mobile phones, tablets and computers, to improve people’s health and essential services. The document Recommendations on digital interventions for health system strengthening

Image source: apps.who.int

The key aim of this guideline is to present recommendations based on a critical evaluation of the evidence on emerging digital health interventions that are contributing to health system improvements, based on an assessment of the benefits, harms, acceptability, feasibility, resource use and equity considerations. For the purposes of this version of the guideline, the recommendations examine the extent to which digital health interventions available via mobile devices are able to address health system challenges at different layers of coverage along the pathway to universal health coverage (UHC). By reviewing the evidence of different digital interventions, as well as assessing the risks against comparative options, this guideline aims to equip health policy-makers and other stakeholders with recommendations and implementation considerations for making informed investments into digital health interventions.

This guideline urges readers to recognize that digital health interventions are not a substitute for functioning health systems, and that there are significant limitations to what digital health is able to address.

• birth notification via mobile devices
• death notification via mobile devices
• stock notification and commodity management via mobile devices
• client -to-provider telemedicine
• provider-to-provider telemedicine
• targeted client communication via mobile devices
• digital tracking of patients’/clients’ health status and services via mobile devices
• health worker decision support via mobile devices
• provision of training and educational content to health workers via mobile devices (mobile learning-mLearning)  (Source: WHO)

Full details from WHO

Using a therapeutic companion robot for dementia symptoms in long-term care

Moyle, W. et al. | Using a therapeutic companion robot for dementia symptoms in long-term care: reflections from a cluster-RCT | Aging & Mental Health | Vol. 23 issue 3 | p329-336

Objectives: We undertook a cluster-randomised controlled trial exploring the effect of a therapeutic companion robot (PARO) compared to a look-alike plush toy and usual care on dementia symptoms of long-term care residents. Complementing the reported quantitative outcomes , this paper provides critical reflection and commentary on individual participant responses to PARO, observed through video recordings , with a view to informing clinical practice and research.

Method: A descriptive, qualitative design with five participants selected from the PARO intervention arm of the trial. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry

Results: The five participants and their responses to PARO are presented in terms of three issues: i.) Different pre-intervention clinical presentations and different responses; ii.) Same individual, different response – the need for continual assessment and review; and iii.) The ethics of giving and retrieving PARO. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed in relation to each issue.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that one approach does not fit all, and that there is considerable variation in responses to PARO. A number of recommendations are discussed to aid the delivery of psychosocial interventions with PARO in practice, as well as to guide future research.

Full detail at Aging & Mental Health

Use of mobile applications in the management of overweight and obesity

Alnuaimi A, Rawaf S, Hassounah S et al. | Use of mobile applications in the management of overweight and obesity in primary and secondary care | Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine | 5 April 2019

This systematic review involved searching electronic databases for studies on the use of mobile app-based interventions in the management of overweight and obesity among adults over 18 years of age in a primary and secondary care setting. The results of the review revealed that mobile apps are effective tools for weight loss management and sustaining such loss when compared to standard interventions.

However, further research is needed to consider the sustained benefits and the applicability of mobile app-based interventions for large-scale population coverage.

Full document at Sage Journals

NHS App pilot research findings

This report presents the findings of research carried out during the pilot phase of the NHS App roll out. The research was used to test and improve the user experience of the NHS App, and to plan effective support for GP practices as the app is rolled out across England | via NHS Digital

In late 2017, it was decided that the NHS would develop an app that all patients in England could use to carry out a series of important tasks, such as booking GP appointments and ordering repeat prescriptions. Since then a team of staff from NHS Digital and NHS England has been working to develop, build and test the NHS App.

This report contains the findings from the pilot phase, drawn from analytics and what was found during research with users and GP practices.

Full report at NHS Digital

Virtual reality system piloted to help spot diabetes-related emergencies

The NHS England diabetes team has partnered with virtual reality medical training company Oxford Medical Simulation to train doctors in a bid to improve care for patients with diabetes | via Med-Tech Innovation

The training will allow doctors to practice in virtual reality medical emergencies. Dr Partha Kar, NHS England clinical director of diabetes said: “Embracing technology is at the heart of the NHS Long Term Plan and training doctors using virtual reality is another example of modernising the NHS to help improve care for patients with diabetes.”

Combining clinical expertise from the NHS, volunteer patient input and world leading virtual reality software, doctors can now put on virtual reality headsets and practice taking care of patients as often as they want, without risking lives.

The system is being piloted through Health Education England in a multicentre trial in the South of England, with development funded by Novo Nordisk. If supported by evidence from the pilot there are plans for further roll-outs nationwide throughout 2019.

Full detail at Med-Tech Innovation

See also:  NHS pilots virtual reality system to help spot diabetes-related emergencies | Diabetes UK

Unlocking the potential of technology in the NHS

Unlocking the potential of technology in the NHS | NHS Providers

To understand why digital transformation in the NHS isn’t happening as quickly as we’d like it to, Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers argues we need a dose of realism in the debate. He sets out the five conditions needed to allow trusts to increase the pace of change, and catch up with other public services and the wider economy.

Full detail at NHS Providers

Digital Nurse Network

A new Digital Nurse Network has been launched by NHS England’s Primary Care Digital Transformation team to build a national community of nurses who want to learn more about digital, with the aim of improving patient care.

The network is open to anyone in the nursing profession and will offer training, briefings and webinars as well as the opportunity for nurses to learn more about digital programmes and national initiatives across the NHS. There will also be opportunities to share knowledge and discuss ideas and issues. You can find out more about the Digital Nurse Network by emailing england.digitalnursenetwork@nhs.net

 

 

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