Event Roundup - Digital Inclusion and Telecare
Matt Evans, techUK Markets Director and COO, opened the morning highlighting that whilst there are challenges, the move to digital presents many opportunities and that today’s event would be focused on sharing what some of these benefits are meaning in practice to the end user, local authorities and to the NHS.
Key note speaker James Friend, NHS Digital Strategy Director, set out the importance of partnership working and noted that whilst the technology changes driven by the closure of the analog phone network (the PSTN) were instigating in part the move to new innovative healthcare solutions, expectations are an equally important driver. He closed by reflecting that the NHS is constrained not by money, but by clinical capacity and that digitization will help and data collection and sharing of data will be key in improving patient outcomes.
The first panel discussion focused on the importance of doing things differently in a digital world – where preventative tech and diagnostic checks should see reliance on health pendants and emergency alarms reduced. The calls to action urged stakeholders to work collaboratively, to share data so that Communications Providers know who is a telecare user and to push for central government to take on a deeper role in the program.
The London Borough of Sutton shared the approach taken with their Innovate Project working alongside the Access Group and Medequip. The goal was to understand the local challenges and infrastructure and bring together preventative and reactive tech and use the existing data and apps to create the right service model to ensure the best use of tech and data.
Hyde Housing Association then set out their own challenge of getting the aging telecare in use across their housing and schemes footprint fully digital by the switchover date. Two years down the line there are still some systems running on the PSTN and digitally enabled telecare on analog lines. Taking Care highlighted that the digital journey is still underway – working with 55 local authorities all adopting different digital solutions they highlighted the need for a closer integration and that digital devices running on an analog protocol are not being utilized to their full potential.
Redbridge and Care City presented on their Care Tech Pilot after DHSC funding bid was successful. One of 8 pilots in England, care tech was deployed to 300 residents across Redbridge and allowed proactive detection in advance of health condition. Redbridge also put in place a culture change which saw the set up of an early adopters group (listening to the needs of people first) and co-designed with residents to understand the emerging opportunities and barriers and ultimate established an expert led Assistive Tech Strategy Group.
The morning’s final case study came from Hertfordshire who undertook the analog to digital at scale journey 5 years ago. Whilst the journey was completed 2 years ago they wanted to go further and take advantage of the digital infrastructure in place. Through sharing data in the right way and working with people rather than to people they introduced their assistive technology journey – “Data Inspired Living”.
Robert Walker
Robert joined techUK in October 2022, where he is now Programme Manager for Health and Social Care.
Viola Pastorino
Viola Pastorino is a policy, governance, and strategic communication specialist.
Clara Hewitt
Clara joined techUK in October 2023. She brings experience across a range of domestic and global health issues, with particular focus on digital health, HIV/AIDS and climate change and health.
Sarah Shepherd