How technology can help alleviate the COVID-19 crisis in the United Kingdom
The current coronavirus global pandemic is having a major impact on health systems around the world and here in the UK. How technology can help alleviate the COVID-19 crisis in the United Kingdom.
Clinical Software
Hine calls for evaluation of flu line
A review of the UK’s response to the swine flu oubreak has urged the Department of Health to commission an independent evaluation of the “highly innovative” National Pandemic Flu Service. The review, chaired by former chief medical officer for Wales Dame Deidre Hine, concluded that the government’s response to the pandemic had been “proportionate and effective” – but […]
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Swine flu line to close
The National Pandemic Flu Service is to close in a fortnight, the Department of Health has announced. The DH has decided that both the web and telephone service will be discontinued simultaneously at 1am on Thursday, 11 February. Ian Dalton, national director of NHS Flu Resilience, wrote to primary care trust and hospital chief executives […]
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NHS Direct to miss KPIs
NHS Direct is to miss some of its key performance targets for the last three months of the year, after facing increased call volumes due to swine flu as well as staff shortages. The national health helpline told EHI Primary Care that it had faced “major service challenges” since the start of the financial year […]
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Further delays to full flu line service
The full version of the National Pandemic Flu Service may not be available in October as originally planned, despite the chief medical officer predicting that a second wave of swine flu is on its way. Health minister Gillian Merron told the House of Commons in July that the enhanced web and telephone-based NPFS would be available […]
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QoF frozen as part of swine flu deal
No changes will be made to the Quality and Outcomes Framework next year and some indicators will be dropped in 2011-12 under a deal agreed by the British Medical Association and NHS Employers on the swine flu vaccination programme. The UK-wide agreement means GP practices will be paid £10.50 for every patient given the swine flu […]
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NI rolls out national flu surveillance
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Business Services Organisation in Northern Ireland is preparing to roll-out a nationwide flu surveillance solution from Apollo Medical Systems. The data extraction query solution, which is in its final stages of development, will be piloted in 12 GP practices before it is rolled out […]
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Flu Line staff reduced
The Department of Health has reduced the number of call centre staff delivering the National Pandemic Flu Service. The DH said the online and telephone-based flu assessment service had proved “extremely successful” since its launch at the end of July and that it had helped to take the pressure off other parts of the NHS. […]
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Informatica helps Wales track swine flu
NHS Wales is using software developed by Informatica Systems to monitor pandemic flu on a daily basis. The Primary Care Informatics Programme’s Data Quality Service is being used to track the spread of swine flu and other potential pandemics by collating data from more than 70% of GP practices across Wales. The service incorporates a […]
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Digital maps show flu pick-up gaps
NHS emergency planners in Bristol and Avon are using advanced digital mapping to develop their swine flu pandemic response strategy. The mapping has been used to identify the appropriate number and location of antiviral collection points needed for patients in the area. The mapping took into account population statistics and travel times to community pharmacies and […]
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