Harnessing technology for the long-term sustainability of the UK’s healthcare system: report

Council for Science & Technology, & Government Office for Science | 23 August 2021 | Harnessing technology for the long-term sustainability of the UK’s healthcare system: report

This recent report identifies priorities for change in the UK’s healthcare system. and opportunities to transform the UK healthcare system. Successful integration of existing healthcare technologies could enable health system leaders to radically reshape the model of health and care delivery. These innovations are also the key to rebalancing our healthcare system, to shift our focus from acute intervention to early-stage prevention and maintenance of good health

Harnessing technology for the long-term sustainability of the UK’s healthcare system: report

NHSX publishes £3m tender to help phase out pagers

Digital Health | 25 June 2020| NHSX publishes £3m tender to help phase out pagers

 £3million tender for the provision of communication services to replace out-dated pagers is now open to bidders.

NHSX revealed it was looking to create a framework for NHS trusts to procure communication services in May.

The tender for a clinical communication tools framework was published last week and is set to close on 6 July. The contract is due to commence on 27 July, 2020 and run until 26 July, 2022, with a potential extension for 12 months.

Prior to the tender being published a notice from NHSX said the Covid-19 pandemic has “accelerated the need to urgently deliver” health secretary Matt Hancock’s plan to phase out pagers by the end of 2021.

“The agreed approach, therefore, needs to ensure that NHS trusts can award contracts to suitably qualified and experienced suppliers who can deliver against this requirement, whilst promoting innovation and delivering against a digital maturity model,” the tender states.

The solutions must enable secure messaging; image sharing; staff directory linked to the NHS.net address book; and calls.

Video calls, patient lists; task management; and electronic patient record integration were listed on the tender as “optional functionality”.

Solutions also have to be compliant with GDPR and UK data protection laws.

It is hoped such tools will “address critical pain points for clinical and/or operational teams” and can be “be downloaded onto mobile devices or tablet device”.

Joost Bruggeman, chief executive of Siilo who has previously spoken of the need to replace pagers, said: “Beyond knowledge and compassion, modern healthcare professionals need to be good communicators to advocate for their patients. But just like the stethoscope can no longer compete with modern imaging diagnostics, so has the pager past its prime compared to messaging apps.

“Maintaining open and up-to-date lines of communication is crucial for hospitals dealing with a growing number of patients under ever-changing circumstances. The spread of coronavirus has made the need for efficient mobile communication even more urgent, so that medical professionals can operate with agility.”

Hancock announced in February 2019 that he was going to war with pagers.

NHS trusts will be required to phase out pagers by the end of 2021, with all hospitals expected to have plans and infrastructure in place to ensure this is possible by the end of September 2020.

Staff are expected use modern alternatives, such as mobile phones and apps, which can deliver more accurate two-way communications at a reduced cost.

More information on the tender can be found here.

 

Digital innovations to support vulnerable people during COVID-19 outbreak #covid19rftlks

New parents, unpaid carers, the homeless, young people and cancer patients could benefit from digital solutions as part of the TechForce19 challenge | Department of Health and Social Care

People who may be particularly vulnerable or isolated during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including new parents, the homeless, unpaid carers, young people and cancer patients, could soon benefit from a range of innovative digital solutions selected as part of the TechForce19 challenge.

NHSX, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have announced 18 innovative digital solutions being awarded up to £25,000 under the TechForce19 challenge.

The funding for each project will be used to develop new ways to support vulnerable people who need to stay at home or need other help in the community for extended periods of time.

Full detail at Department of Health & Social Care

Transforming care through technology

This toolkit outlines examples of how Shelford Group trusts are using technology and digital innovations to transform outpatient services in the NHS

This toolkit brings together the work of 10 of the largest teaching and research NHS hospital trusts in England, working together under the umbrella of the Shelford Group. The emergence of new models of care using technology is a primary  theme of the work of the Shelford Group transformation directors, who have summarised the progress in their organisations.

The toolkit shows how Shelford Group organisations have started to deliver many of the  changes highlighted in the NHS Long Term Plan, describing how digitally enabled care  can deliver faster, better access for patients.

The Shelford Group is a collaboration of 10 of the largest teaching and research NHS hospital trusts in England. Case studies from these organisations are included throughout the toolkit and include initiatives that support patients to self care; the provision of better information and advice from patient portals; and the development of wearables and apps.

Full document: Transforming care through technology – a toolkit for new models of outpatient care

 

Making new technologies work for everyone

This month’s newsletter from the Health Foundation explores the different impacts of automation,  Artificial Intelligence and data-driven technologies on health and health care

While automation has been with us since the Industrial Revolution, recent advances in artificial intelligence and robotics are pushing the boundaries of what can be automated. In this blog from the Health Foundation, Tim Horton and Tom Hardie look at what this means for the future of our health and health services.

Full article: Making new technologies work for everyone

Which health care jobs are the most likely to be affected by automation?

The Health Foundation |September 2019 | Which health care jobs are the most likely to be affected by automation?

Much has been written about the likely impact of automation and particularly the potential for job displacement.  Now in a new release The Health Foundation considers: which health care jobs are the most likely to be affected by automation?

In health and social care, ONS (Office for National Statistics) analysis suggests medical practitioners have an estimated risk of automation of 18%, compared to over 50% risk for care workers and home carers. 

 

Image source: health.org.uk

Key points

• The automation of work will impact the future labour market. Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis suggests that 7.4% of jobs in England are at high risk of automation (defined as 70% chance of being automated).
• The ONS analysis estimates that medical practitioners have an 18% probability of automation, compared to over 50% probability for care workers and home carers.
• However there is optimism about opportunities technology could bring too, such as creating new roles. There are also limits to the tasks that technology can perform—human skills, intelligence and perception are likely to be of enduring value

The briefing also indicates that while there will be some job displacement of the jobs we currently have; as some roles are replaced, others will be adapted and integrated with technology, and new ones will be created. As automation replaces routine tasks, people could be freed to undertake more rewarding work — as has been illustrated, for instance, through research on automation in primary care (Source: The Health Foundation).

Read the full article from The Health Foundation 

You can explore the analysis from the ONS here

New life-saving treatment and diagnosis technology

Diseases could be detected even before people experience symptoms, thanks to a pioneering new health-data programme as part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy

Businesses and charities are expected to jointly invest up to £160 million, alongside a £79 million government investment, as part of the Accelerating Detection of Disease programme. The project will support research, early diagnosis, prevention and treatment for diseases including cancer, dementia and heart disease.

The pioneering initiative will recruit up to 5 million healthy people. Volunteered data from the individuals will help UK scientists and researchers invent new ways to detect and prevent the development of diseases.

Full story: UK to innovate new life-saving treatment and diagnosis technology | Department of Health & Social Care

Driving improvement through technology

Care Quality Commission | July 2019 | Driving improvement through technology

Within the publication Driving improvement through technology the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is sharing examples of innovation identified in the course of their work; to raise awareness and to encourage health and care services to improve.

CQC  have selected case studies which highlight innovations around:

• Automated triage technology– includes case studies on Monitoring for people with COPD, heart failure or type 2 diabetes; Monitoring for people with COPD, heart failure or type 2 diabetes and teledermatology
• Digital records- use of laptops in clients’ homes
• mHealth– Real time urgent and emergency care waiting times; use of laptops by Health care workers in clients’ homes
• Telecare- sensors in the home
• Telemedicine– home monitoring for patients with inflammatory bowel disease,
• Telemonitoring– urine testing at home

Full details from the CQC

Related:

CQC blog Driving improvement through technology

CQC press release Technology in care – we shine light on the importance of innovation in new resource

 

Patient Safety Strategy

The NHS patient safety strategy | NHS Improvement 

This strategy sets out what the NHS will do to achieve its vision to continuously improve patient safety.  To do this the NHS will build on two foundations: a patient safety culture and a patient safety system.

Three strategic aims will support the development of both:
• improving understanding of safety by drawing intelligence from multiple
sources of patient safety information (Insight)
• equipping patients, staff and partners with the skills and opportunities to
improve patient safety throughout the whole system (Involvement)
• designing and supporting programmes that deliver effective and sustainable
change in the most important areas (Improvement).

Full document: The NHS Patient Safety Strategy. Safer culture, safer systems, safer
patients

See also: How data can shape a safer NHS|  Nuffield Trust blog

How One Junior Doctor Is Developing Tech To Modernize The NHS

Forbes | June 2019| How One Junior Doctor Is Developing Tech To Modernize The NHS

A new article in Forbes magazine, highlights the work of Paediatrician, Dr Lydia Yarlott a junior doctor who is using technology to  improve efficiencies across the NHS and accelerate patient care. In 2016 Dr Yarlott created Forward, a messaging platform which is a safe alternative to WhatsApp and older technology such as pagers. 

Yarlott’s invention will  make it easier for doctors and nurses to communicate in hospitals and give them more life-saving time. One estimate is that the NHS uses 130,000 pagers alone, which represents 10% of global usage and costs £6.6 million yearly.

Yarlott says:”We are developing Forward as a smartphone app which clinicians download for free and use to contact one another, exchange patient information and make decisions, and manage their workload,” (Source: Forbes)

Read the full news story at Forbes