NHSX backs innovations to support 500,000 people at home
NHSX has announced that it is to fund and support 14 new projects across the country to help half a million people receive care at home using digital technology.
From remote cardiac rehabilitation services to digital self management and parental support services for families of children with eating disorders, NHSX revealed the winners of the first phase of the Digital Health Partnership Award at the HETT (Healthcare Excellence Through Technology) Show 2021.
The Partnership Award supports projects that leverage the value of technology, delivery and evaluation partnerships and is designed to help NHS organisations in England accelerate the adoption of digital health technologies to support patients with long term conditions. Organisations applying for the award needed to provide evidence of impact, efficacy and value and demonstrate how partnerships added value to their proposal.
In addition to innovation in digital technology, a number of the projects build on existing services to ensure more patients can benefit from remote services. For instance, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is expanding its secure video service that enables patients and carers as well as their doctors to share seizure videos across their neurology service, whilst Cambridgeshire Community Services is expanding their remote health monitoring service.
Winning projects also include:
- delivery of a supported self-management prehabilitation intervention for all patients undergoing surgery - aiming to initially support patients to use technology to optimise long-term conditions, cancer and preparation for surgery and improve physical and mental fitness for surgery.
- providing cardiac rehabilitation services through remote monitoring - patients will also be offered a range of devices such as blood pressure & pulse oximeter service which will enable a wearable activity tracker and smart scales.
Tara Donnelly, chief digital officer at NHSX, said:
“Through our Digital Health Partnership Award, these organisations will have access to the expertise and support they need to adopt or expand their digital capabilities safely and effectively, allowing many more patients with long term conditions to receive their care from the comfort of their homes rather than always having to attend primary and acute settings.”
Rhod Joyce, deputy director of innovation development at NHSX, said:
“Each of our 14 Digital Health Partnership Award winners are fantastic and innovative examples from across the health sector of how the latest in digital technology has the potential to enhance patient care and also support frontline staff.”
The Digital Health Partnership Award will be run across two phases from 2021 to 2022, with the second phase opening for bids in November.
Winning bids needed to meet existing standards to qualify for funding, including the Digital Technology Assessment Criteria (DTAC).