Isle of Wight to launch digital consent platform from Pitchfest finalist

Isle of Wight NHS Trust has announced that it is launching a digital consent platform created by former Digital Health Rewired Pitchfest finalist Concentric Health.

The Concentric Health solution, which is planned to go live in October 2024, uses a secure link sent by email and/or text message to allow patients to consent for procedures using a computer, tablet or phone and easily share detailed treatment and recovery information with friends and family.

In a statement on its website, published on 24 September 2024, the trust said that it is enhancing its consent processes “in response to patient feedback”, to help patients make informed decisions about their treatment.

It adds that digital consent is expected to have multiple benefits for patients and clinicians at Isle of Wight, including creating a better patient experience and understanding of the decision making process, and making information easily accessible online for patients before and after their treatment.

Rachel Dominey, associate director – digital transformation, at Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted to be using Concentric’s application to digitise our consent process.

“This will ensure we meet the national standards for obtaining patient consent and will better inform our patients during the consent process”.

After reaching the final stage of the Pitchfest competition for digital health startups in 2021, Concentric Health received £500,000 in investment from a syndicate of 24 businesses, match-funding and private investors.

Since then, it has gone live in 24 NHS trusts and now has 50,000 patients a month consenting through its platform.

Chloe Fox, clinical operations lead at Concentric Health, told Digital Health News that the deployment at Isle of Wight NHS Trust will be the latest under a contract with NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System.

She added that the firm has “already successfully demonstrated the power of digital consent in supporting elective recovery” via its partnership with seven  neighbouring trusts including Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

“The introduction of Concentric at Isle of Wight marks our 25th NHS deployment following a suit of others across the ICS, an approach we’re seeing increasingly commonly.

“Going digital reduces day of surgery delays and cancellations all while providing a better experience for patients, it’s a win-win.

“So, it’s great to now see Concentric’s expansion across the Solent and it’s been wonderful working with the forward-thinking Isle of Wight digital team on the deployment,” she said.

Fox added that Concentric’s contract with NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care System (ICS) is in place until 2025 and discussions are occurring across the ICS partners regarding subsequent contracting arrangements.

The next Pitchfest final will take place in the Start-Up Zone at Rewired 2025, at the NEC in Birmingham, 18-19 March 2025.