For our latest news in brief we take a look at some of the health tech news stories to have caught our eye over the last few weeks.
Major upgrade to EPR system and AVT roll out at University Hospitals of Leicester
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has made a “major upgrade” to its EPR system and begun work on the phased roll out of ambient voice technology (AVT).
In a LinkedIn post, the trust shared that the EPR upgrade introduces digital clinical documentation for inpatients, expanded electronic prescribing, digital imaging requests, and outpatient reporting.
The introduction of AVT follows a successful pilot and testing phase, seeing the technology used to draft clinical notes during consultations to be approved by clinicians and added to the patient record.
Will Monaghan, group CDIO, spoke of ambitions to become a fully digitally enabled trust, adding: “We also want to make UHL an even better place to work by giving colleagues digital tools that genuinely help. I want to thank everyone involved for their commitment to making UHL a better place to receive and deliver care.”
University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group awards £98,000 contract for digital growth chart software
University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, comprising Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has awarded a contract worth £98,000 to Harlow Solutions for the provision of digital growth chart software.
The contract is awarded for the iGROW Version 2 digital growth chart software and support, including licensing, implementation, migration, integration, support, and maintenance services. According to UHN, it is set to run to February 2029.
Virtual reality breast screening experience launched at Gateshead Health
A virtual reality breast screening experience has been launched at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust to tackle anxiety and allow women to experience a walkthrough of a mammogram appointment in real time.
The initiative is specifically focused on supporting women who may not have engaged with breast screening in the past due to anxiety, trauma, or other barriers, the trust states. It walks through the equipment, screening room, and screening process, enabling patients to ask questions prior to their arrival at an appointment.
“Around three in every 10 women who are eligible for breast screening do not attend their appointments, we’re keen to change that to reach everyone who should be screened,” said Alan Redman, clinical director for breast screening at Gateshead Health. “Our health promotion team have come up with this initiative as a way to reach those people.”
Digital wayfinding service allows patients to plan journeys and navigate services at St George’s and Epsom Hospitals
A new digital wayfinding service is helping patients to plan journeys and navigate services across St George’s and Epsom Hospitals, designed to make hospital visits less stressful. Visitors can access the service via the MazeMap app, or from a range of interactive kiosks and wall-mounted touchscreens located at main entrances and in busy areas. Different accessibility needs are catered for, with alternative routes signposted where available.
The launch follows a successful proposal submitted in collaboration with the New Hospital Programme for a pilot at St George’s Hospital and Epsom Hospital. The trust hopes that this will enable it to assess how digital navigation can help to improve patient experience, with learnings to inform the New Hospital Programme’s Hospital 2.0 blueprint for the design of future hospitals.
£68,000 digital video wall procured for command centre at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospital
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospital NHS Trust has procured a digital video wall for its command centre, at a cost of £68,000.
The contract, a call-off from a framework agreement, has been awarded to ATOS IT Services UK Limited, and will run to the end of March 2027.
Queensland Health offers up to $200,000 and a six-to-eight month pilot for solutions transforming access to preventive health support
Queensland Health and Health and Wellbeing Queensland are offering up to $200,000 for solutions capable of transforming access to preventive health support.
Successful applicants will also be granted a six-to-eight month pilot with Health and Wellbeing Queensland, and the chance to present at the 2026 Queensland Prevention Symposium.
Solutions are expected to demonstrate the ability to improve access, navigation, and engagement with preventive health services, delivering personalised and user-friendly experiences, and supporting early management of chronic disease. Outcomes, according to Health and Wellbeing Queensland, should include improved uptake of preventive programmes, better health outcomes, and empowered health consumers.
