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

🤖 Southampton Children’s Hospital says that it has become the first NHS site in the UK to use the Versius Surgical Robotic System for paediatric kidney surgery. Developed by CMR Surgical, the system features a unique wrist rotation mechanic that makes it easier to precisely control surgical instruments, allowing for smaller incisions. The trial could lead to wider use of robotic surgery in paediatrics across the country, with 150 patients expected to participate.

🏃‍♀️ New technology to reduce falls and support independent living is being introduced across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes. The GaitSmart system, funded by NHS England and led by Health Innovation East, uses sensors to assess walking ability and provide a personalised exercise programme for individuals experiencing frailty. Initial results showed improvements in mobility, confidence and balance.

💻 NHS England has announced a contract opportunity for suppliers to create an online learning resource for allied health professionals to improve their digital skills through the NHS England Digital Academy. The contract runs from November 2024 to May 2025, with a value of £60,000. Proposals must be submitted by 9 October 2024.

🚨 Interim results from the NHS-funded DYNAMIC-AI study suggest that predictive AI is safe, effective and well-accepted in the treatment of respiratory conditions. The study, a collaboration between Lenus Health, NHS Greater Glasgow Clyde and the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Results were presented at the European Respiratory Society conference in September 2024.

📱 Nottinghamshire County Council has introduced new technology to improve adult social care reablement services. The Carelink and Unity Analytics tools from Totalmobile have been implemented to improve service efficiency and accessibility for the county’s 796,000 residents, including those in areas with poor internet connectivity. The tools aim to support frontline staff in providing more responsive care and improving outcomes for those receiving social care.

❓Did you know?

The healthcare industry has one of the lowest employee retention rates in the UK, with an average tenure of just 3.2 years, according to a study published in July 2024 by equity management platform Vestd. 

The study analysed nearly 400,000 employees across 1,400 UK companies and found that tenure increased by 37% when comparing SMEs (three years) to larger enterprises (4.1 years).

Meanwhile, the sectors with the highest tenure are manufacturing (5.3 years) and property/construction (4.4 years), while marketing and hospitality were among the lowest, with average tenures of just 2.8 and three years, respectively.

📖 What we’re reading

Siva Anandaciva’s article, The Darzi Review of NHS Performance Signals Why Radical Change Is Needed, published by The King’s Fund on 12 September, explores the findings of Lord Darzi’s review and calls for urgent reform within the NHS.

Anandaciva highlights the ongoing struggles with A&E performance, where no major hospital is meeting national targets, leading to overcrowding and long wait times. He stresses that incremental changes won’t be enough and advocates for a system-wide transformation that addresses not just A&E care but also broader services like social care and public health, which are often overlooked in NHS reform efforts.

“The pursuit of recovering performance standards could lock the NHS into keeping targets as they are, rather than evolving them to reflect advances in clinical care,” writes Anandaciva, calling for a focus on improving health outcomes rather than just hitting process measures.

🚨 Upcoming events

1-2 October 2024, Amsterdam –  Tech Ex Europe