Liverpool University Hospitals to trial Melo app for dementia care

Liverpool University Hospitals (LUHFT) NHS Foundation Trust is trialling a platform which tracks dementia patients’ behaviour with the aim of supporting better care.

LUHFT has partnered with health tech startup, Decently to develop the online platform called Melo, with the support of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Charitable Fund.

Melo uses information, which clinical staff enter into the system, to identify behavioural triggers in patients with neurological illnesses, with the aim of enriching the information available to make effective clinical decisions.

Over a 12-month trial period, starting in November 2024, staff on two wards at Aintree University Hospital will complete digital behavioural assessments on the app, which can be shared with a patient’s clinical team.

This information will determine the ways to help an individual be settled on a ward, advise on how to de-escalate challenging behaviours and ways to stop them from occurring.

David Melia, chief nursing officer at LUHFT said: “Finding new and innovative ways for us to provide the highest quality care is something we are passionate about at LUHFT.

“By providing colleagues with intuitive technology to record behavioural information about a patient living with dementia, we hope this trial will continue to support how we are improving the delivery of care for this vulnerable group of patients.”

Melo uses data-gathering technology to detect patterns in behaviour, which provide a holistic overview of a patient’s condition, making it easier for clinical staff to handover to community care when a patient is ready to be discharged from hospital.

The Decently team has worked with clinical and innovation staff at LUHFT to adapt the Melo app, giving it personalised features for its use on the wards.

Sessions have included focus groups with staff from different areas of care delivery to discuss ways the app could benefit both patients and staff.

James Chapman, cofounder of Decently, said:  “We’re thrilled to work with LUHFT on this important initiative.

“Our Melo platform has the potential to revolutionise behavioural assessments and patient understanding in dementia care, and we’re committed to developing a solution that addresses the specific needs of both patients and healthcare professionals.”

As part of the project, the innovation team at LUHFT has engaged with the information governance team to ensure the app is a secure platform to store patient records, compliant with the UK General Data Protection.

Dr Andrew Rose, assistant director of innovation at LUHFT, said: “We hope that our trial of this platform will demonstrate that the innovative app can support our staff in improving the care and safety of patients with dementia.”

The initial project is planned to launch at the end of 2024, and the team will continue to monitor the benefit of the technology.

More than 900,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK.