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News Article
Patients harmed after roll-out of new IT system
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients have come to avoidable harm after a large private provider failed to deliver thousands of medicine prescriptions, according to a report from the Care Quality Commission. Healthcare at Home, which is based in Staffordshire but provides NHS-funded care and medicine supplies to patients’ homes across the country, has been rated “inadequate” and placed in special measures. A report published today said inspectors found more than 10,000 patients missed a dose of their medicine between October and December 2020 due to problems caused by the introduction of a new information system. Reviews have found some suffered avoidable harm as a result. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 13 May 2021 -
Content ArticleThis short article describes how maternity and neonatal teams across Herefordshire and Worcestershire Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) have been using video conferencing technology to drive safety improvements for mothers and babies, thanks to the launch of their new daily digital safety huddles.
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News ArticleChelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust announce the successful pilot of ThermaFY Protect and the subsequent roll-out of the unique thermal screening technology across its hospitals. As part of its CW Innovation programme, run jointly with its charity CW+, the Trust approached ThermaFY at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak to codevelop and install automated temperature scanning stations at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital to help reduce the spread of infection. A unique project, ThermaFY Protect, was developed to provide bespoke thermal screening that combines temperature readings with staff identification. Following a successful pilot which involved six ThermaFY Protect screens being installed across the Trust’s main hospital entrances, the Trust and CW+ will now roll out the programme at all hospital entrances and off-site clinics. Amanda Pickford, Founder and Chief Executive of ThermaFY, explains: “It’s been fantastic working with the team at Chelsea and Westminster, who share our entrepreneurial vision and have acted quickly and collaboratively to improve patient and staff safety. During the first pilot, our systems scanned over 500,000 people; now the stations are a permanent feature, scanning over 8,000 patients and staff every day putting patient and staff safety at the centre.” Read full story Source: Digital Health, 27 April 2021
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Content ArticlePatient safety and digital experts have given their views on immediate digital priorities that could make a significant difference in the NHS.
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Content Article
In his newsletter today (The Top 10 Dangers of Digital Health), the medical futurist, Bertalan Meskó, raises some very topical questions about the dangers of digital health. As a huge advocate of the benefits of digital health, I am aware of most of these but tend to downplay the negative aspects as I generally believe that in this domain the good outweighs the bad. However, as I was reading his article, I realised that it was written very much from the perspective of a clinician and, to some extent, a healthcare organisation too. The patient perspective was included but not from a patient safety angle. Many of the issues that he raises do have significant patient safety issues associated with them which I’d like to share in this blog. -
News Article
Rugby player develops device to track head trauma
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A rugby player has developed a wearable device to monitor head trauma after a teammate was forced to stop playing the sport due to injury. Euan Bowen, 28, played the game at university and in his final year in 2018, when a teammate suffered three concussion injuries in one season. It spurred Mr Bowen to develop an idea for a device to track brain health into the HIT Impact technology, which detects g-force and records impact on an app. After spending time at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Business School (EBS) Incubator, his product is expected to move into production within the next two months. The sensor he developed can clip on to headguards, any helmet or halo headband and is accompanied by an app which has a 150-metre range capable of recording from multiple devices - with a "Team Play" recording function for sports like football and rugby. It displays a graph showing the force threshold, set by a user, and severity, with a traffic light system and notifications enabling those monitoring to check on a user's injury. Kallum Russell, EBS Incubator manager, said it is "much-needed technology", adding: "The current parliamentary inquiry into concussion recently heard evidence about the long-term implications of repetitive head trauma on sports people, with MPs asking how sports could be made safer. Read full story Source: The Independent, 8 April 2021 -
News Article
New NHS model needed for adoption of innovative medical devices
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The system for introducing new medical technologies into the NHS remains complex, crowded, and difficult to manage, according to a new report by the Medical Technology Group (MTG). The paper also calls for innovative treatments with medical devices to be given the same support as new pharmaceutical medicines. Current NHS mechanisms to support the uptake and use of innovative technology are severely limited in scope and are focused on ‘picking winners’ rather than the broad system-wide adoption of new technology, the report states. It points to the Accelerated Access Pathway, for instance, which supports fewer than 10 technologies each year; and the lack of a clear mechanism to support the widespread uptake of innovative products across the NHS. And the absence of a broad, national commissioning policy means patients sometimes miss out on the benefits of established technology due to a regional variation in access. Read full story Source: BBH, 24 March 2021 -
EventuntilWhile the pandemic didn’t cause all the shifts happening in healthcare, it had a major hand in accelerating and shaping the changes that will alter the healthcare landscape far into the future. Join Fierce Healthcare as we examine the tectonic transformation across healthcare. We’ll explore changing consumer expectations in access to care, the moves by major tech players and providers to reach their customers and strategies for actually paying for everything. Register
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News Article
Bowel cancer screening capsules the latest in at-home care trend
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
People will be able to check if they have bowel cancer by swallowing a tiny capsule containing miniature cameras, in an extension of patient self-care. In what experts described as a trend towards more NHS at-home care, hastened by the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of people in England will be able to avoid the discomfort of having a camera inserted into their bowel by instead swallowing a capsule the size of a cod liver oil tablet. Pictures transmitted from inside their body during the painless procedure will help doctors judge whether the person has bowel cancer, the second deadliest form of the disease in the UK. The boss of the NHS in England said the procedure, known as a colon capsule endoscopy, is an example of “sci-fi” medicine increasingly deployed to improve care. One of the country’s top doctors said the capsules illustrated a major shift of healthcare out of hospitals that will see more and more diagnosis and treatment of illness done at home. Prof Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “We’re aware that some patients are reluctant to seek help for certain cancers because the diagnostic tests available can be invasive, so this is a fascinating development and we will be very interested to see the results of the trial. “GPs are preparing for an upsurge in cases of suspected cancer cases post-Covid, and the capsule cameras and new test for cervical cancer are welcome developments that could enable more patients to monitor and manage their own health at home without embarrassment or discomfort.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 11 March 2021 -
News ArticleA regulator has admitted “concerns” over the software Babylon Healthcare uses in one of its digital health solutions and is exploring how to address this. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority’s (MHRA) concerns relate to Babylon’s symptom checker “chatbot” tool. This is used by thousands of patients, including those registered with digital primary care practice GP at Hand. Two senior figures within the agency set out the MHRA’s concerns about the tool in a letter, seen by HSJ, which was sent to consultant oncologist David Watkins following a meeting between the parties last October. Dr Watkins has raised doubts over the tool’s safety for several years, including repeatedly documenting alleged flaws in the chatbot through videos posted online. However, last year, Babylon said only 20 of Dr Watkins’ 2,400 tests resulted in “genuine errors” being identified in the software. In the letter, dated 4 December, the MHRA’s clinical director for devices Duncan McPherson and head of software related device technologies Johan Ordish said Dr Watkins’ “concerns are all valid and ones that we share”. In the letter to Dr Watkins, the two MHRA directors also said the regulator is further exploring some of the issues highlighted and the work could “be important as we develop a new regulatory framework for medical devices in the UK”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 4 March 2021
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Event
The Future of Hospitals Event 2021
Patient Safety Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
untilThe Prime Minister recently announced a funding package worth £3.7 billion to build 40 hospitals by 2030 in the biggest hospital building programme in a generation. The Health Infrastructure Plan will also provide capital to modernise diagnostics and technology and help eradicate critical safety issues in the NHS. The scale of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused big shifts in the way hospitals deliver services. The NHS has had to mobilise to respond to the acute needs of people infected with the virus whilst at the same time scaling back non-COVID-19 healthcare. Services have had to be rapidly re-designed on a large scale to release capacity for treating patients with COVID-19. With the development of a Health and Care Bill that looks to build on the innovation and integration seen during COVID-19, healthcare professionals will have to balance providing care during a pandemic with systemic and transformational change across the system. This unique event from the Institute of Government & Public Policy examines the current and future state of NHS hospitals and the impact of COVD-19. It takes a close look at all the vital components that make up NHS acute care including patient safety, workforce, infection control, standards, funding, estates, and emergency care. Hear a combination of policy updates and best practice case studies from a wide variety of organisations within acute healthcare. Patient Safety Learning's Helen Hughes will be one of the presenters at the event. Register -
News Article
Paramedics issued body cams after surge in violent attacks
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Paramedics in London have started wearing body cameras after a 34% jump in the number of violent attacks on ambulance crews. A trial of the technology is being rolled out across the capital in areas where workers are thought to be more at risk based on past incidents. Paramedics can press a button to start recording if patients or the public become aggressive or abusive towards them. London Ambulance Service told The Independent there had been an increase in physical assaults in recent years. Attacks jumped from 468 in the financial year 2018-19 to 625 in the year 2019-20, a 34% rise. Gary Watson, based at Croydon Ambulance Station, will be one of the first staff members to wear a camera. He was violently assaulted by a drunk patient three years ago. He said: “We need these cameras. We get up every day to help people, not to be severely beaten. “Wearing these cameras should act as a deterrent and if it doesn’t then at least there will be evidence which will hopefully mean tougher sentences for criminals.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 23 February 2021 -
News Article
‘Rapid’ assessment launched to help NHS organisations pick new tech
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
NHSX has launched a ‘simpler and faster’ technology assessment process to help healthcare providers pick digital tools that meet NHS standards. The new digital technology assessment criteria provides NHS and social care teams with guidance to decide which tools to use or to recommend to patients. NHS organisations, national bodies and social care will be encouraged to apply the DTAC when considering any form of digital health technology procurement. NHSX described DTAC as “a new simpler and faster assessment process to help give staff, patients and the public confidence that the digital health tools they use meet NHS standards”, adding it “is a rapid process that can be completed in days”. It has previously taken as long as two months for tools to go through assessment processes. The guidance brings together legislation and best practice across five areas. Tools will receive a pass or fail score in the first four categories — clinical safety, data protection, technical security and interoperability — and an additional percentage score for usability and accessibility. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 23 February 2021 -
Eventuntil2020 saw a huge leap in the delivery of virtual health and care, with encouraging lessons for the current crisis and beyond. But has the speed of innovation been at the expense of inclusive people and patient-centred care? In this free online event from the King's Fund, explore what we can learn from the innovations that have accelerated during the pandemic and how we can align patient and user involvement in the development of future virtual health and care solutions. Register
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Content ArticleThe world has significantly changed in the past decade and the healthcare sector has changed with it. Many healthcare organisations are now digital and digital tools enable patient safety and care. Electronic health records (EHRs) have replaced paper records. Picture archiving and communication systems have replaced film and light boxes. Computer-implemented or enabled hardware and software have replaced the mechanical systems of yesterday. In some instances, virtual visits have replaced in-person visits. And patients can transmit information about their health status and condition in real time to their clinicians via various software applications and devices. As a result of our digital transformation, electronic data is the lifeblood of the healthcare organisation. Electronic data, in the healthcare context, must be kept confidential, integrity must be preserved, and it must be made available on demand wherever and whenever it is needed. But if electronic data is not appropriately protected, clinical care and the business of healthcare can grind to a halt. This is why ransomware has been a significant concern for many healthcare organisations, as Lee Kim, Director Privacy and Security, HIMSS, explains in this article.
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EventuntilDigitising the management of wound care provides accurate and accessible data to nurses and clinicians while also enabling remote assessment of wounds. The COVID-19 pandemic is front and centre of all current healthcare priorities – and rightly so. Yet, we must not, nor should not, overlook the need for other forms of healthcare provision – which have by no means abated. Take the management of wound care. It is estimated that 2.2 million people in the UK live with non-healing, chronic wounds – those wounds which do not respond to treatment and therefore do not heal. They can last for months or even years, costing the NHS around £5 billion a year. COVID-19 risks exacerbating the issue as the same populations who have been identified as at-risk of developing complications from the pandemic, such as older people and people with diabetes, are exactly those that are also at risk for developing chronic wounds. At a time when demand on the healthcare system is more pressured than ever, it is even more critical to ensure NHS providers have access to the tools they need to deliver quality care, making it easier to protect patients. This webinar, part of the Improving Patient Safety & Care Webinar Series, will discuss how harnessing technology can make routine monitoring digital and how digital wound care services can save time, reduce administrative burdens and helps NHS staff assess patients earlier. Register
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Content Article
Patient blog - A tale of two MRIs (10 July 2020)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Patient stories
This blog by patient Lelainia Lloyd in the Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences is a personal account of two starkly different MRI appointment experiences. In the first scan, the technologist said very little to Lelainia and the experience left her with significant anxiety about future MRIs. But her second experience was completely different, with the technologist communicating clearly, asking questions and making sure she felt comfortable throughout the process. Lelainia highlights the importance of communicating clearly and compassionately with patients to make them feel safe and able to ask for help. She outlines some practical steps for healthcare workers to help them engage with patients and ensure they are clearly consenting to all aspects of care and treatment. -
Content ArticleThis report has been developed by the Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health, which aims to unite representatives from patient advocacy groups, including Patient Safety Learning, Royal Colleges, medical charities, industry and other stakeholders committed to ensuring that patient interests. The report highlights that uptake of digital health technologies has been limited, while patient experience of technologies including video conferencing and mobile apps has been mixed. Although patients strongly believe in the value of digital health, there are still significant concerns about using it, particularly around data collection and sharing.
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News Article
Can digital technology help embed a strong patient safety culture?
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Within a few months of joining Great Ormond Street Hospital Foundation Trust as medical director, Mat Shaw became its chief executive. Heading up the organisation clearly brought with it new responsibilities and challenges, yet he says on one important issue there was little difference between the two roles – namely, the focus on patient safety and enabling clinicians to offer the best possible care for patients. “I lived through the time when all notes were on paper, when you had five, six volumes of thousands of pages. I lived through that time when it was very difficult to actually know what information to collect, and from where you should collect it, to make decisions around patients. And I recognise we don’t always do the right thing based on those systems. “So for me it’s been tremendously important to try and bring a system in, and the digital tools which are needed, to make care kinder and also safer, with better outcomes for patients. In our new strategy, digital is front and centre in a way that it’s never been before, because I consider this agenda so important to how we treat patients.” Read full story Source: HSJ (paywalled), 3 February 2021 -
News Article
Report reveals digital health technology must be accessible for all
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
To be successful digital health technology must be accessible to all while still maintaining the human aspects of healthcare, a new report has said. ‘Digital Health during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Learning Lessons to Maintain Momentum’ draws on research and case studies of good practice in digital health during the pandemic. The aim of the report is to offer policy recommendations to help ensure the UK capitalises on the potential of digital health to the benefit of patients, the NHS and the UK, after the crisis subsides. The report, launched by the Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health, with support from patient organisations and the Royal Colleges of Nursing and Radiologists, highlights that uptake of digital health technologies has been limited, while patient experience of technologies including video conferencing and mobile apps has been mixed. While patients strongly believe in the value of digital health, there are still significant concerns about using it, particularly around data collection and sharing. A number of key organisations gave their support to the report. This included the likes of the British Heart Foundation, Patient Safety Learning and the Royal College of Nursing. Read full story Source: Digital Health, 3 February 2021 -
Content ArticleThis paper from The Partnership for Health IT Patient Safety examines the need to integrate IT safety into healthcare organisations' safety programs. It aims to create a framework for recognising often-unappreciated technology-related safety issues and highlights both the unintended consequences of using different technologies and the potential to improve safety by incorporating technology.
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News Article
Discover the new technology managing cancer symptoms for patients
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
In a new trial, cancer patients across the UK have been using the eRAPID technology system to help them manage their cancer symptoms. The system has been developed by the University of Leeds, and this is the first trial to offer automated advice to early-stage patients whose treatment aims to cure cancer. Hundreds of early-stage colorectal, breast, or gynaecological cancer patients took part in the trial which used computer algorithms to help manage their symptoms and improve their wellbeing. They were able to report online symptoms from home and receive instant advice on whether to self-manage or seek medical attention. Cancer can cause a range of different symptoms for patients living with the disease, as well as from the side effects of treatments such as chemotherapy, which are sometimes life-threatening and all of which lower a patients’ quality of life. Better monitoring and management of these symptoms can help in improving treatment delivery and reducing patients’ physical distress. All patients in the trial received their usual care, with 256 receiving the eRAPID system as additional care. The patients reported better symptom control and physical wellbeing in the early weeks of treatment, with the system preventing symptom deterioration in about 9% of patients after 12 weeks. Dr Kate Absolom, University Academic Fellow in the Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James’s and the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences at the University of Leeds, said: “The encouraging results from this study will help pave the way for future development and refinement of these interventions in broader cancer settings. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need and speeded a shift towards technology-enabled care, so these study results are very timely.” Programme lead Professor Galina Velikova, at the Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James’s, University of Leeds, and the Leeds Cancer Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Rising numbers of cancer patients are receiving a range of anti-cancer treatments which means patients are living longer and require longer periods of care and monitoring. “Remote online monitoring options have the potential to be a patient-centred, safe, and effective approach to support patients during cancer treatment and manage the growing clinical workload for cancer care.” Read full story Source: Health Europa, 11 January 2021 -
Content ArticleHealth information technology (HIT) provides many benefits, but also facilitates certain types of errors, such as wrong-patient errors in which one patient is mistaken for another. These errors can have serious patient safety consequences and there has been significant effort to mitigate the risk of these errors through national patient safety goals, in-depth research, and the development of safety toolkits. Nonetheless, these errors persist.
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Content ArticleThis is the second part of webinar three in a series designed to help the NHS respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, hosted by the Faculty of Clinical Informatics. It is hosted by Sebastian Alexander, Founding Fellow of the FCI, NHS Digital, Safety, SME Apps Programme, and features presentations on the work of the National Pathology Xchange and The National Pathology Programme.
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Content ArticleThis is the first part of webinar three in a series designed to help the NHS respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, hosted by the Faculty of Clinical Informatics. It is hosted by Sebastian Alexander, Founding Fellow of the FCI, NHS Digital, Safety, SME Apps Programme, and features presentations on the NHS Digital Apps and Wearables Programme and the Kryptowire app assessment.
