Digital Health Coffee Time Briefing ☕

Your morning summary of digital health news, information and events to know about if you want to be “in the know.”

👇 News

🩻 Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust has opened a new digital X-ray room at Erith District Hospital, replacing an old machine housed in a former World War II bunker. The modern unit includes advanced imaging technology with lower radiation exposure and was purchased with funding assistance from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. Oxleas plans to repurpose the old bunker to preserve its historical significance.

🏥 NHS Lanarkshire has started preparatory work for a £700m, state-of-the-art ‘digital hospital’ at Wester Moffat, Airdrie. The University Hospital Monklands is intended to be Scotland’s first net-zero carbon hospital and is planned to open by 2031. It will incorporate real-time data and automation technology designed to improve patient care and operational efficiency. The final business case for the hospital is due to be completed in 2025.

🔬 Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has introduced a £1.4m system to improve cancer treatment at Castle Hill Hospital. Surface-guided radiotherapy uses infrared cameras to track patient movement during treatment for sub-millimetre precision, meaning radiotherapy can be administered accurately without the need for skin tattoos. The technology is currently being used for breast cancer treatment, with plans to expand to other cancers by the end of 2024.

🦶 Analysis commissioned by Thermology Health, a med-tech spin-out from the National Physical Laboratory, has found that its technology for screening and detecting diabetic foot ulcers has the potential to improve patient outcomes and enable significant cost savings for the NHS of more than £200 million each year over the next five years. Diabetic foot ulcers, which often lead to amputations, are one of the biggest complications of diabetes.

💡 Innovate UK has awarded £3.2 million to 24 projects under its Mindset-XR programme, which aims to develop and test immersive digital health therapeutics. The programme, supported by the Health Innovation Network South London, will explore if and how these technologies can improve mental health services across the UK. Recipients will receive expert advice, collaboration opportunities and ongoing support as they develop their solutions.

❓ Did you know?

A third (32%) of all NHS staff are carers, according to the results of a recent NHS Staff Survey. 

The survey, published by Nuffield Trust, found that female staff (33%) are more likely to be carers than male staff (27%), with the highest proportion (43%) of carers found among staff aged 51-65.

The survey also revealed that staff in community trusts (37%) and mental health and learning disability trusts (36%) are the most likely to have caring responsibilities.

Rachel Hutchings, fellow at Nuffield Trust, said: “While some NHS trusts have already introduced initiatives to support carers, more can be done. Getting this right for England’s biggest employer would be a significant step towards improving the experiences of people balancing caring and employment.”

📖 What we’re reading

A report on data equity by the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council proposes a new framework for defining and implementing data equity as a response to the risk of perpetuating old biases in new technology.

‘Advancing Data Equity: An Action-Oriented Framework‘, published on 12 September 2024, highlights concerns that current data practices might amplify existing inequalities, calling for more openness and responsibility in how data is gathered and applied.

The report notes that today’s data systems often carry forward historical biases, which can unfairly affect vulnerable groups. For example, incomplete data can cause gaps in healthcare in cases where AI tools may not accurately assess disease risks for minority populations.

The framework outlines practical steps for organisations to improve equity, such as involving affected communities in decision-making and using more diverse datasets.

🚨Upcoming events

1-2 October, Amsterdam – Tech Ex Europe