eHealth updates - 21 March 2013

New policy, guidance and e-health initiatives from across the UK. For more information about the e-health theme see Quality and Safety eBulletin: ehealth.

Some of the resources linked to are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.

AKTIVE (Advancing Knowledge of Telecare for Independence and Vitality in later lifE): Telecare and Independent Ageing Conference. AKTIVE are holding a free conference in London on 17 May 2013 which will bring together specialists in telecare development, design, marketing, implementation and delivery and representatives of telecare users and their carers. Participants will be able to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of current arrangements and explore ideas for using telecare more effectively. 

DH: New technology to improve children’s mental health services. New handheld computers will boost children’s mental health services by helping to quickly tailor treatment to meet their needs and showing them what progress they have made, Norman Lamb, Care and Support Minister has announced. Backed by a fund of nearly £2 million, children and young people will be able to use tablet computers in their therapy sessions to give them and their therapist instant access to information that details how close they are to achieving treatment goals while also tracking their progress.

HC2013 – the National Health IT Conference and Exhibition. The RCN are proud to announce that RCN President Andrea Spyropoulos is delivering a keynote presentation at the prestigious British Computer Society Healthcare Computing conference. The two day event will be held on 16 and 17 April, 2013 in Birmingham. It is free to attend for anyone who has an interest in creating, managing or using information, supported by technology, to improve health and care services. An RCN led stream at 13.00 on the 17 April will be chaired by Paul Vaughan, Regional Director, RCN West Midlands. Influencing the Agenda: Valuing & Evaluating Technology will include examples from nurses who have influenced ways of evaluating and embedding technology and informatics into everyday practice. A panel discussion involving the stream presenters will provide an opportunity for the audience to ask challenging questions and share their experiences from the frontline. You can register on the website

Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR): Physicians interrupted by mobile devices in hospitals: understanding the interaction between devices, roles and duties. This study aimed to characterise how interruptions from mobile devices disturb physicians in their daily work. The intention is to use the information gathered as input for the design and development of a context-sensitive communication system for mobile communications suitable for hospitals.

JMIR: Development and testing of a multidimensional iPhone pain assessment application for adolescents with cancer. The research group developed a native iPhone application (app) called Pain Squad to tackle the problem of poorly managed pain in the adolescent with cancer group. The app functions as an electronic pain diary and is unique in its ability to collect data on pain intensity, duration, location, and the impact pain has on an adolescent’s life (ie, relationships, school work, sleep, mood). It also evaluates medications and other physical and psychological pain management strategies used.

JMIR: Online cognitive behavioural therapy for bulimic type disorders, delivered in the community by a non clinician: qualitative study. This study aimed to investigate participants’ experiences of using an online self-help cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) package (Overcoming Bulimia Online) for bulimia nervosa (BN) and eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS). Eight participants with a mean age of 33.9 years took part in semi-structured interviews. 

NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB): New operating model for armed forces health care IT services. The NHS Commissioning Board has published a document setting out how the management of IT systems will be organised for health care for armed forces and their families. The “operating model” provides a system which ensures the safe transfer of armed forces health IT from primary care trusts (PCTs) to the NHS CB so there is clarity for all stakeholders, safety for patients and business continuity for the NHS.

NHS CB: NHS Commissioning Board launches library of NHS-reviewed phone apps to help keep people healthy. The NHS Commissioning Board has launched a library of apps to help people manage their health. The new Health Apps Library so far contains around 70 apps that have been produced by a variety of organisations and reviewed by the NHS to make sure they are clinically safe.

NHS CB: Up to 100,000 people use the internet to improve their health. The Board is forming a new partnership with the Online Centres Foundation to fund existing UK Online Centres to train and support people to help their health and wellbeing through the internet. The funding will support the Online Centres Foundation to develop at least 50 of their existing centres in public places such as libraries, community centres cafes and pubs to become digital health hubs. These hubs will provide training and support to help people go online for the first time so they can start using websites such as NHS Choices and develop further skills.  

NHS Employers: Increasing staff engagement with social media. This briefing looks at how use of social media can improve staff engagement. It is aimed at the HR community but will also be of interest to communications teams and line managers. It discusses how social media platforms can be used to engage staff and provides examples of good practice.

Patient.co.uk: Patient access app. Patient Access is a mobile phone app which allows patients to access their local GP services on the move, and provides a 24 hour online service. The EMIS app will enable patients to order repeat prescriptions, securely message their practice and update personal details such as change of address.

Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP): The patient online: the road map. This guidance from RCGP supports GP practices to provide online access for patients. It looks at the principles of online access to records by patients; steps to offering access; and the principles around training, education and support for practices. Issues around information governance, including third party data and GP workload, are taken into account.

RCGP: Social media highway code. The Social Media Highway Code is "a practical and encouraging guide for doctors and other healthcare professionals who use social media and want to ensure they get the most out of their online communications, while ensuring they meet their professional obligations and protect their patients".
News: Doctors in the fast lane on social media guidance.

Scottish Government: Health technology funding. The Scottish Government have announced health technology funding of £1million to enable more patients to be treated closer to home. The funding is being invested in developing innovative solutions to treat patients closer to home and will support the development of more groundbreaking telehealth initiatives.

SHSCEvents: Telehealth and Telecare Learning Network: Supporting transition, integration and innovation. The next Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare (SCTT) Learning Network Event is on 29 May 2013 in Edinburgh. The purpose of the event is to maintain awareness within the Learning Network of current and planned developments for telehealth and telecare services to highlight local good practice from across Scotland, identify common operational issues and explore potential solutions, exchange knowledge and learning, and facilitate networking opportunities. You can register on the website.

Westminster Forum Projects: Policy Forum for Wales. The Policy Forum for Wales Keynote Seminar on 17 July 2013 in Cardiff, will focus on the next steps for integrating health and social care services in Wales.