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

🦴 A team in Cambridge has received £1.4 million from the National Institute for Health and Care Research to develop a “smart” joint trial liner for hip replacement surgery. The device uses sensors to provide real-time measurements during surgery aimed at improving implant positioning. This technology provides data to help guide surgeons during the procedure, something not available in existing systems.

🧬 AstraZeneca has developed an AI tool, MILTON, that it says can detect early signs of more than 1,000 diseases, including Alzheimer’s and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by analysing routine clinical biomarkers, such as blood and urine test results. The AI tool has shown “exceptional” accuracy in predicting disease development up to a decade in advance, AstraZeneca claims. It was trained using data from the UK Biobank.

🤖 The London Institute for Healthcare Engineering at King’s College London has launched the MedTech Venture Builder programme. Funded by Research England, the 12-month programme will support 12 companies developing a range of medical technologies including software as a medical device, implants and surgical robotics. Each company will receive help with regulatory plans, clinical evidence roadmaps and expert guidance from Cambridge Consultants.

💻 HeyFlow, a startup focused on reproductive health inclusion in the workplace, has secured £235,000 in funding from Aer Venture Studios. HeyFlow’s platform helps companies better understand the experiences of female employees and aims to improve workplace inclusion by reshaping organisational policies. The investment will support the development of its platform and employee insight tool.

🧪 The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is using AI technology to predict how burn injuries will heal. The DeepView system, developed by Spectral AI, uses multispectral imaging and AI to assess burn depth and healing potential in real time, allowing clinicians to make more informed treatment decisions from day one.

❓ Did you know?

 Nuffield Health’s Healthier Nation Index found that 65.46% of UK healthcare workers reporting a negative impact on their mental health. Among full-time and part-time workers, more than 38% said their financial health has worsened in the last year, with lower earners feeling the strain the most.

The survey also found that 64.38% of women were more likely to report mental health struggles due to financial issues compared to 53.4% of men. These findings highlight the need for healthcare employers to address pay, promotion opportunities, and employee support to alleviate financial stress.

📖 What we’re reading

The report ‘Extra appointments alone won’t meet key government waiting time pledge’, published on 8 September by healthcare consultancy Carnall Farrar and the NHS Confederation, assesses the government’s plan to deliver an extra 40,000 NHS appointments per week to hit its 18-week waiting time target by the end of this parliament.

While the report acknowledges that this is a step in the right direction, it notes that these appointments it will only meet 15% of the required activity. It highlights the need for more radical reforms, which includes embracing digital tools and new technologies like process automation and AI, which the reports argues are crucial to transforming care pathways and improving long-term capacity.

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of NHS Confederation, said: “Ultimately, we know that in order to keep up with the healthcare needs of the population the NHS needs reform, not just ever more activity.

“This means shifting to earlier, more preventative services – including primary and community care – to slow the rise in demand for healthcare. It will also mean boosting productivity through using modern technology and having buildings and equipment that are fit for the 21st century.”

🚨Upcoming events

1-2 October, Amsterdam – Tech Ex Europe