Airedale NHS Foundation Trust recently won a bid to fund the rollout of the Careology cancer app, which will be used within the trust to provide 24/7 support to cancer patients and help to understand their needs.
The Careology app is said to help keep patients connected with the relevant healthcare teams, and to support patients to self-manage aspects of their own care and treatment. Patients can access guidance and advice, receive reminders for medications and appointments and also find information on side effects and symptoms. For family and friends, they can utilise the app for details on how the patient is doing and what they can do to support them to ensure the patient feels “connected and cared for”.
All patient data reported via the app is said to help Airedale cancer teams “see how patients are managing their treatment and enable them to intervene early should someone need acute care.”
After securing funding from the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance innovation competition, the trust has become the first in the region to use the Careology app, which was selected for its “opportunities to improve and personalise patient care”.
Lead cancer nurse at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, Caroline Salt, commented on the opportunity: “We are working hard to provide care closer to home, promoting digital innovation and ensuring patients feel informed, supported and empowered in their treatment journey, at a time when they can feel very vulnerable. Due to the vast geographical area we cover, coming into hospital can be challenging, but having the confidence in a clinically validated app will help to reassure those who may need it.”
Digital transformation in cancer care: the wider trend
The UK government has just announced £82.6 million in research funding for three projects, two of which are using emerging technologies to tackle cancer. PharosAI, a project seeking to bring together NHS and Biobank data, aims to develop AI models to deliver “new breakthroughs” in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Danish health tech supplier, Dawn Health has launched the Cora BC app to help support breast cancer patients throughout their treatment journey, while also giving them the ability to track their health with “clarity and insight into their experiences”.
University Hospitals Dorset and Bournemouth University are working together to identify volatile organic compounds specific to skin cancers and develop a device capable of detecting them.
One of our recent features highlighted Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust’s award-winning case study for its collaboration with Isla Health to revolutionise skin cancer referral pathways. The partnership has transformed dermatology services by introducing remote care solutions for Community Lesion Imaging Clinics, significantly improving patient access and operational efficiency.
