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

🏡 Healthcare technology vendor Clanwilliam Group has launched its care home solutions suite, Epic Care, in the UK. Epic Care provides cloud-based software for digitising administrative processes and care procedures within residential and nursing homes. This includes information about residents, care logging, risk management support and reports. Previously only available in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the technology is now available in England, Scotland and Wales.

👾 Social virtual reality (VR) platform The Safe Zone has partnered with technology company HTC to launch an immersive VR space designed to support young people’s mental health. The Safe Zone allows participants to create avatars and connect with peers, trained mentors and therapists in a “gamified” virtual environment. Available online on any digital device, the initiative aims to tackle loneliness in young people and ensure they receive initial support more quickly.

💰 AI company Qure.ai has announced that it has secured $65 million (£49m) in Series D funding. Qure.ai uses deep learning technology to help clinicians identify anomalies in radiology images, including x-rays, CTs and ultrasound scans. The latest funding round was led by Lightspeed and 360One Asset. The investment will be used to speed up expansion into the US and other markets, as well as boost funding for AI models and the acquisition of other med-tech companies.

♥️ Supermarket chain Asda has begun stocking an at-home heart test capable of sharing test results with NHS clinicians “within minutes”. Developed by digital health company PocDoc, the test provides users with a full cholesterol profile, body mass index score, heart age and their 10-year risk score of heart attack or stroke. The health check kits cost around £10 and are now available in 242 Asda pharmacies in the UK.

🤖 Frontline care workers from across England, Wales and Scotland have released a statement on the use of AI in social care in which they call for clear policies, training and transparent practices around its use. The statement, published by The Care Workers’ Charity, argues that AI should not be seen as a replacement for care workers, and urges caution around the use of generative AI in care settings where data privacy and accuracy could be compromised.

❓Did you know?

Four in 10 (41%) adults in England had at least one long standing illness or condition in 2022, according to the NHS Health Survey for England. The survey, published on 24 September 2024, explored adult and child health, social care provision and specific health conditions like kidney disease and diabetes.

Key findings included a rise in adults with raised cholesterol, at 53% in 2022 compared to 43% in 2019, with women showing a higher prevalence (56%) than men (49%). Obesity rates remained stable, with 29% of adults living with obesity and 64% being overweight or obese. For children aged two to 15, the prevalence of obesity was 15%, similar to 2019 figures.

📖 What we’re reading

The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) report, ‘Our Greatest Asset‘, published on 17 September 2024, proposes a bold plan to shift the UK’s healthcare model from a reactive system to a “health creation” approach that uses technology and data to support proactive health interventions.

Published by the IPPR Commission on Health and Prosperity, the report suggests developing a new “health index,” similar to GDP, to track the nation’s health in a single metric, helping policymakers monitor progress. It also advocates for building “neighbourhood health centres” across the country, which would serve as one-stop shops for diagnostics, primary care, mental health and public health services, incorporating digital tools to support integrated care.

Lord James Bethell, former health minister and commissioner, said in a press release: “For too long, the default political answer to this country’s health crisis has been more of the same: more doctors, more hospitals, rinse and repeat.

“It’s time for a new health policy where we all play our part – businesses, employers, investors, individuals, communities and families alike.”

🚨 Upcoming events

17 October, London – Healthcare Summit 2024