HUMBER TEACHING NHS FT MOVES TO THE CLOUD

Humber Teaching NHS FT has enabled its EPR move to the cloud through Dedalus’ Healthcare Platform.

With the trust’s strategy being to move core applications to the cloud, the platform has provided a secure and flexible cloud service that the trust are leveraging, with the ability to host patient identifiable data. 

The trust is now also benefiting from a set of common shared platform services such as remote access, deployment automation, network security and monitoring.  

The platform is hosted on Amazon Public Cloud and leverages Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud Computing Services and AWS Managed Services (AMS). This provides the trust with a secure service leveraging multiple “availability zones”, within AWS Public Cloud. 

EUROPE MEDICAL DEVICES INDUSTRY FINANCING DEALS

According to GlobalData's deals database, led by $600 million venture financing of CMR Surgical, total medical devices industry cross border venture financing deals worth $1.4bn were announced in Europe in Q2 2021.

The data showed that value marked an increase of 856.8% over the previous quarter and a rise of 574.8% when compared with the last four-quarter average of $210.43 million.

Furthermore, Europe held a 30.21% share of the global medical devices industry cross border venture financing deal value that totalled $4.7 billion in Q2 2021. With a 22.98% share and deals worth $1.08 billion, the UK was the top country in Europe’s cross border venture financing deal value across medical devices industry.

In terms of deal activity, Europe recorded 30 cross border deals during Q2 2021, marking an increase of 87.50% over the previous quarter and a rise of 66.67% over the last four-quarter average. The UK recorded 11 deals during the month.

GENOMICS ENGLAND APPOINTS NEW CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER

Genomics England has announced the appointment of Professor Matt Brown as the organisation’s new chief scientific officer.

Professor Brown is a clinician-scientist and is currently Professor of Medicine at Kings College London, as well as director of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’.

He has a background in genomics and has previously been director of genomics and Professor at the Queensland University of Technology.

Genomics England’s CEO Chris Wigley, said: “We’re delighted Professor Matt Brown has accepted this position providing the benefit of his scientific expertise, leadership, and knowledge of the research landscape. Genomics England’s vision is a world in which everyone has access to the benefits of genomics healthcare, and Matt can help us deliver on that vision.”

Professor Brown commented: “I’m thrilled to be joining this iconic organisation and working with its outstanding staff to deliver on the amazing promise genomics has to improve diagnosis and management of a huge swathe of human diseases.”

SERVELEC ACQUIRED BY ACCESS GROUP

The health and social care division of The Access Group (“Access”), part of the local government, health and social care software sectors, has announced the acquisition of Servelec.

The acquisition will enable Access to offer integrated solutions and services across local government, health and social care, combining Access’ suite of health and social care solutions with Servelec’s ability to integrate technology across social care, healthcare, education and youth services. 

With Integrated Care Systems in England set to embed collaboration and promote more joined-up care, the acquisition gives Access the opportunity to integrate systems and data across the health and social care sector. 

Steve Sawyer, managing director of The Access Group’s health and social care division, will lead the enlarged business, supported by Servelec’s existing leadership team, including Steve Wightman, healthcare managing director, and David McKinney, local government managing director. 

YOTI HELPS GOOD HEALTH PASS COLLABORATIVE DELIVER INTEROPERABILITY BLUEPRINT

UK-based digital identity network Yoti has announced that it has contributed to the development of the Good Health Pass Interoperability Blueprint, which proposes a new set of specifications and a format for digital health passes.

Applying data minimisation, it allows a verifier to request only the data required without compromising trust in an individual's authenticity. This allows airlines and governments to verify travellers’ COVID status, while simultaneously ensuring that factors such as privacy, security, user control, and equity are protected. 

The Good Health Pass Collaborative brings together more than 125 global companies and organisations from across the health, travel, and technology sectors to develop principles and standards for digital health passes for international travel. It is designed to protect public health by preventing the cross-border spread of COVID-19 with growing calls for digital health passes, both domestically and internationally. 

AI BREAST SCREENING REQUIRES STRONGER EVIDENCE FOR SAFE USE

Better quality research is needed before AI can be trusted to diagnose breast cancer in the full range of UK patients, according to the professional body for the IT industry. 

While AI may become an important method of breast screening in the near future, there is simply not good enough evidence yet, BCS, The Chartered institute for IT said.

There was a ‘significant risk of overdiagnosis’ should AI be adopted now in screening breast cancer, BCS added. 

The Institute said in its formal response to a consultation by the UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC) that it supports the NCS’ proposal that the use of AI for image analysis in breast cancer screening should not be endorsed in the UK at present.

NHS CHARITIES TOGETHER AWARDS £1.1M

CW+ and North West London ICS/STP have been awarded over £1,100,000 from NHS Charities Together (NHSCT) to support shielding and vulnerable people affected by COVID-19, by providing digital access to health, care and community resources. CW+ is the charity of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS FT and the lead charity for the North West London NHSCT application. 

CW+ will use funds from NHS Charities Together to support COVID-19 recovery activities, working with partners across the region to deliver the following digital inclusion and innovation projects.

Lesley Watts, interim chief executive officer of North West London ICS/STP, and chief executive of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS FT, said: “We are incredibly grateful to NHS Charities Together for their support and funding, and look forward to working in partnership with the national charity and the successful bidders on this programme.  We need to support the health and wellbeing of our most vulnerable patients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our three new projects will help patients use digital health services and tools as well as provide them with connections to local charitable services."

NEW PROGRAMME LAUNCHES TO FUEL INNOVATION IN SOCIAL PRESCRIBING

A new programme has been launched to help national voluntary organisations from across multiple sectors particularly financial wellbeing, arts, nature and physical activity to work together alongside local communities to increase the scale and impact of social prescribing activities.    

The Accelerating Innovation in Social Prescribing programme is led by the National Academy for Social Prescribing, Royal Voluntary Service and NHS England and NHS Improvement in partnership with others. It will bring together a community of practice of national organisations to support their needs and drive innovation to help maximise their contribution to the growing social prescribing community. 

Commenting, James Sanderson, chief executive of the National Academy for Social Prescribing, said: “National organisations have told us they have much to offer social prescribing. With their input we’ll be able to engage more people in activities that support their health and wellbeing, particularly amongst communities affected by health inequalities and COVID-19.    

“I’m delighted to launch this new programme of work with Royal Voluntary Service. Designed for and by national organisations, this programme will empower them as active members of the social prescribing community. Together with local systems, we can unlock the power of social prescribing activities across the country and help even more people impacted by health inequalities and COVID-19.”