From a chatbot used to check on patients on waiting lists, the development of an innovative colon camera to check for signs of cancer at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust, through to the launch of a new website in Lincolnshire to support people with muscle and joint conditions, HTN is here to bring you the latest updates on health and tech news throughout the sector.
Read the latest updates below…
Chatbot to tackle the NHS Backlog in Lancashire and South Cumbria
A new initiative has been launched across Lancashire and South Cumbria to utilise a chatbot that contacts long waiting patients to check on their health status.
The system guides patients through a series of questions, to inform the health service if their condition has changed, or lets NHS teams know if they no longer require treatment.
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells use innovative pilot programme to check for cancer signs
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has taken almost 100 patients off its cancer pathway through using a new innovative pilot programme to check for signs of cancer.
MTW is providing patients with a very small camera to swallow – known as a colon capsule endoscopy – to check for signs of cancer.
The trust, which launched the programme in June 2021, has performed 147 capsule endoscopies, resulting in almost 100 patients being removed from the cancer treatment pathway.
Dr Laurence Maiden, Chief of Medicine and Emergency Care for MTW, commented: “This is another example of how MTW is a forward-thinking trust, always looking for ways to embrace new technology to enhance patient care. We are delighted with the positive impact this pilot programme has already delivered for our patients and look forward to expanding this service beyond the cancer pathway in the future.”
Lincolnshire Community launch new website for patients with joint and muscle conditions
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust has launched a new physiotherapy website to support for Lincolnshire patients struggling with muscle and joint conditions.
With the launch of the website, the trust aims to provide a central point of information concerning some of the most common musculoskeletal conditions, as well as promoting self-care to members of the general public to remain active as possible.
Emma Ivemey, Clinical Team Lead for MSK First Contact Physiotherapy Services at LCHS, said: “We are incredibly proud of our new website and hope our NHS partners and the wider community of Lincolnshire will be able to benefit from the use of this resource as we make our way out of the pandemic. A lot of people have been less active, working from home and somewhat isolated. We know that inactivity is a major contributing factor to musculoskeletal pain and hope that the information on this website will empower them to manage their condition and remain as independent and active as they can.”
University Hospitals of North Midland to become innovative imaging academy hub
University Hospitals of North Midlands (UNHM) is to become an innovative Imaging Academy Hub and lead the development of diagnostic care in the area.
Following a successful bid, the trust has secured £500,000 in funding to set up an academy in partnership with Keele University, joining only a limited number of hub sites commissioned by Health Education England across the Midlands.
The trust’s statement says that training academies provide multi-professional environments where education of the workforce is the primary focus.
Deonne Lee, Professional Head of Imaging at UHNM, said: “Through the academy we will be able to increase imaging training capacity and provide multi-professional imaging training across the region. The hub model will enable us to provide flexible and high-quality training environments for clinical radiology, diagnostic radiography and sonography, and imaging support staff. We will be able to offer immersive training in priority areas to support the rapid development of skills to support and expedite learning.”
Guy’s and St Thomas’ FT use pioneering radiotherapy to treat abnormal heartbeat
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT is believed to have become the first trust in London to use a pioneering radiotherapy to treat a woman’s dangerously abnormal heartbeat.
The therapy, known as Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR), is a type of radiotherapy normally used to treat different types of cancer.
Dr Shahreen Ahmad, a consultant clinical oncologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “SABR is a tried and tested treatment for cancer and has proved to be safe and potentially curative in this setting. Cardiac SABR for ventricular tachycardia has been investigated in preclinical and clinical research studies as a new way of treating this condition when conventional treatments have failed. We have consulted with other teams in the UK and USA in order to deliver this treatment safely and it is a testament to great collaborative working amongst colleagues in the NHS and beyond.”
Newcastle NHS FT to take part in robotic-assisted knee replacement study
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is part of a new national study which will compare traditional methods of knee replacement, with a surgeon carrying out the procedure with a robotic arm (MAKO).
The RACER-knee study aims to determine which of the two techniques is best at reducing pain in patients, as well as improving patient outcomes.
The participating patients will receive either a knee replacement performed with the robotic arm, or one performed with standard surgical instruments.
Leader of the study, Professor David Deehan, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Freeman Hospital and Honorary Professor at Newcastle University, and Mr David Weir, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, commented: “There’s currently no evidence which helps us determine whether traditional methods are more or less effective than carrying out knee replacements using a robotic arm. The study will help us make this important determination with the aim of improving outcomes for patients after their knee replacement.”
