While the Covid-19 pandemic placed great pressure on the NHS and social services, it also fuelled the momentum for transformation and the sectors have produced new solutions for long term challenges.
Initiatives in recent months include a ministerial promise of more funds for NHS Digital Aspirants, more support for teledermatology and a plan from the Data Standards Authority for a new data standard for information that can support vulnerable people.
The emergence of new data capabilities and progress of technologies such as the internet of things and artificial intelligence are creating a range of possibilities – especially in monitoring vulnerable people while they live independently – but also posing new questions about the ethical use of data, the strength of local digital infrastructures and how the technologies can be integrated with legacy systems.
This comes with the desire for a better co-ordination of health and social care and more sophisticated public health initiatives. These are going to require an intelligent use of data, interoperable systems and widespread connectivity.
Leaders in health and social care need to learn from the experience of other organisations, and the national bodies that are providing guidance and setting the agendas for change.
UKAuthority is contributing to the effort with its Digital Health and Care Conference, set to take place online next week, with three sessions from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm on 12,13, 14 May.
Local, national, industry
It will include presentations on local initiatives, including Suffolk County Council’s use of virtual reality to support people with dementia, the development of the Leeds Care Record and Liverpool City Council’s use of 5G in social care projects.
There will be contributions on the national perspective from NHSX, public sector IT association Socitm and IT industry association techUK, and industry insights from sponsors NDL and Blue Prism.
It promises to be an enlightening event including a series of valuable insights into the latest developments, and shed light on emerging opportunities for using digital and data in health and social care.
Registration for the conference is open from here.
Agenda for the three sessions:
Wednesday, 12 May - 11:00 to 12:30 (click here for further information on sessions / speakers)
- The King's Fund - David Maguire, Senior Analyst, Policy
- University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust - Marc Hadwin, Head of Digital Services
- NDL - Patrick Marren, Business Manager
- Socitm - Russ Charlesworth, Practice Director, Health and Social Care
- Q&A / Panel Discussion
Thursday, 13 May - 11:00 to 12:30 (click here for further information on sessions / speakers)
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust - Karen Shakespeare, Senior Project Manager
- Suffolk County Council – Richard Small, Intelligent Automation Lead
- East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust - Jon Cameron, Assistant Director of Digital Automation
- Liverpool City Council - Ann Williams, Commissioner and Contract Manager, Adult Social Care
- Q&A / Panel Discussion
Friday, 14 May - 11:00 to 12:30 (click here for further information on sessions / speakers)
- techUK - Tom Russell, Programme Manager, Health and Social Care
- NHSX - Maddy Borhani, Senior Digital Productivity Manager
- Suffolk County Council - Mark Tattum-Smith, Digital Care Advisor (North), Adult Social Work Services
- NHSX - Dawn Monaghan, Head of IG Policy
- Q&A / Panel Discussion
With thanks to our partners, NDL and Blue Prism, for supporting this UKAuthority event
Image from iStock, Xtock Images
