Vinehealth and University of Surrey have been awarded a £1 million grant to trial a support app for patients undergoing cancer treatment.
The grant, from Innovate UK, is to to fund a randomised controlled trial of the cancer companion app, which aims to support patient self-management.
Its mobile app supports cancer patients and their loved ones during treatment by allowing them to track and understand their care, including their symptoms, side effects, appointments and medications. By completing a one-minute daily log, cancer patients can develop a clear overview of their progress through treatment and access advice on how to cope and when to access health services.
The trial aims to recruit 300 patients, randomised to receive either standard of care or standard of care and additional support through the app. It’s being sponsored by University of Surrey and run by Surrey Clinical Trials Unit, led by Professor Simon Skene and Dr Agnieszka Michael.
Professor Simon Skene, Professor of Medical Statistics at University of Surrey and Director of Surrey Clinical Trials Unit, said: “We are delighted to be working with Vinehealth on this exciting project. A randomised controlled trial is a crucial step towards providing evidence in support of the app. This has the potential to change the scope of care and outcomes for cancer patients in the UK, using remote digital care combining behavioural science and AI to improve patient quality of life.”
Dr Rayna Patel, Co-Founder and CEO at Vinehealth, added: “Providing remote patient support and enabling clinicians to understand how their patients are doing remotely is crucial in a post-pandemic world. Vinehealth is at the forefront of this shift and we are delighted to be recognised in the way by Innovate UK.”
The company has also recently been awarded a million-pound grant from Innovate UK to help deliver their cancer treatment companion app to four NHS Trusts, and has partnered with Prostate Cancer Research, to add new information and resources from the charity.
In September HTN covered the news of the company partnering with Breast Cancer Haven to provide further resources and information to help cancer patients. The new partnership means the Breast Cancer Haven’s resources and online support, from publications to self-help videos and online courses, will be available through the app.
