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

⚡ Powys Teaching Health Board has announced £1.7 million in fresh funding for digital X-ray equipment. The new equipment will produce faster, clearer images, resulting in quicker and more accurate results for patients in Powys, Wales. Funded by the Welsh Government, the X-ray machines will be installed in two phases, beginning on 12 November 2024 in Ystradgynlais, Llandrindod Wells and Welshpool.

💡 The Patient information Forum (PIF), a UK membership organisation for professionals working with health and care information, has published a framework on the use of AI in health data. Published on 16 October and developed by PIF’s AI working group, the framework is designed to help inform AI use policies and enable professionals to “balance the risks and benefits of AI in the production of health information”. This includes risk mitigation for issues surrounding data bias and privacy, as well as ethical and staff guidance.

🧬 Healthcare provider Bupa has started a two-year pilot offering whole-genome sequencing to more than 3,500 customers. The programme, My Genomic Health, will enable participants to understand their risk of developing  36 conditions that can either be prevented or have better outcomes when addressed early, including heart disease, metabolic diseases, and breast, prostate, skin and bowel cancers.

💰 Edinburgh and South East Scotland’s data-driven innovation programme, run in partnership between the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, has exceeded key targets in research impact and company creation according to its annual report. The initiative, which received £600 million in funding from the Scottish and UK governments, was launched in 2018 with the aim of promoting data-driven innovations in health and social care.

🏆 The Wessex Kidney Centre at Portsmouth Hospital University NHS Trust, has won the Future NHS Award at the NHS Parliamentary Awards for its use of digital health solution MyRenalCare. Developed by Ardia Digital Health, MyRenalCare supports remote monitoring and digital communication between consultants and patients with chronic kidney disease. 

❓ Did you know? 

Figures on the costs of repairing NHS buildings and facilities, published by NHS Digital on 17 October 2024, reveal a near- £14 billion maintenance backlog.

According to the figures, between April 2023 and March 2024 the total cost of running NHS buildings and facilities was £13.6 billion, an 11% increase since 2022/2023 and the cost of ‘high risk’ repairs waiting to be done is almost £3 billion.

Commenting on the figures, Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers, said: “Eye-watering sums are needed just to patch up buildings and equipment which are in a very bad way right across hospitals, mental health, community health and ambulance services.

“With the government’s budget less than a fortnight away it’s vital ministers provide an urgent capital funding boost and rethink rules on capital investment in the NHS so that trusts can tackle the near-£14 billion maintenance backlog, give patients safe surroundings and boost productivity.”

📖 What we’re reading

The report ‘Population health in Greater Manchester: The journey so far’, published by The King’s Fund on 17 October 2024, explores Greater Manchester’s (GM) approach to improving population health, and in particular how it has navigated health and social care challenges through devolution since 2015.

The report highlights the success of GM’s efforts to improve public health, despite the challenges it has faced with severe funding constraints and the evolution from GM Health and Social Care Partnership to the GM Integrated Care System in 2022.

It credits its performance to “strong coherence between economic and population health goals and plans; collaborative, cross‐system working; clear governance, accountability and decision‐making at the right level; and an emphasis on working with communities”.

Report co-author David Buck, senior fellow at The King’s Fund, said: “Our new report on how Greater Manchester’s approach and journey on population health shows how leaders are working effectively together. But this research highlights there is much more work to be done to make the most of the strengths of those working in public health and population health. 

“The government and national bodies will have an important role to play in creating an environment conducive to their success, including by providing clarity on role definitions and a clearer framework for these leaders to operate in.”

🚨 Upcoming events

23 October, webinar – FDA Regulations on Medical Devices: How to Penetrate the US Market