Healthcare in Thoughts from the Centre
COVID-19: Accelerating digital transformation in healthcare
By Karen Taylor and Krissie Ferris, Centre for Health Solutions
The COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a human tragedy, affecting billions of citizens and millions of healthcare staff across the world. The UK Government’s healthcare response has largely been focussed on helping the NHS’s to manage, as far as possible, the predicted increase in hospital demand. This includes social distancing and lockdowns to minimise the spread of infections; building more hospital capacity; and procuring the diagnostic, personal protection equipment and treatments to deal with those who do become infected. Meanwhile, healthcare providers are having to re-consider how best to meet the needs of patients who fear they may have COVID-19, as well as the many others who require new and ongoing support, advice and treatments, while at the same time reducing the need for face to face consultations. As a result, many providers are rapidly embracing digital technologies to triage, support and, where possible, treat patients remotely and help clinicians work more effectively.
Who will win the race to develop an effective treatment for COVID-19
By Karen Taylor, Director, Centre for Health Solutions
Our previous reports have highlighted the increasing number of innovations that have led to life-saving and life-enhancing clinical treatments and how, over the past 30 or so years, healthcare has moved from treating infectious or communicable diseases to managing a ‘tidal wave’ of complex age and behaviour related, non-communicable, diseases.1 This transition was made possible by the development and widespread use of vaccines and antibiotics which dramatically reduced the prevalence and improved outcomes for most infectious diseases. Today, this scenario has been turned on its head as people across the world face the unrelenting human and economic impact from a novel, infectious, coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (named COVID-19 disease). On 11th March the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and the biopharma industry is now in a race to develop both preventive and therapeutic interventions.
Fem-Tech: where health and technology meet to transform the future of women's healthcare
By Krissie Ferris, Research Analyst, Centre for Health Solutions
As demonstrated in our recent report, ‘Realising digital-first primary care: Shaping the future of UK healthcare’, digital technology is transforming everyone’s relationship with healthcare. It is improving our access to health information and advice, helping us to connect more readily with healthcare professionals, and enabling us to track and manage our own health and wellbeing. However, to date, when it comes to women’s health, innovations have historically been underfunded and under supported. This is set to change with the rise of ‘FemTech’, an umbrella term for wearables, smartphone apps, diagnostics and other products designed to enhance women’s health and wellbeing. In recognition of last Sunday’s International Women’s Day, this week’s blog highlights why increasing investment in FemTech innovation is set to pay dividends!
Realising digital-first primary care: Shaping the future of UK healthcare
By Dr Francesca Properzi, PhD, Research Manager and Krissie Ferris, Research Analyst, Centre for Health Solutions
Primary care, particularly general practice, has been the cornerstone of the NHS since its inception. Over the past decade, increasing demand and capacity challenges have left many staff with unmanageable workloads. In recognition of these challenges, the NHS Long Term Plan, published in January 2019, identifies digital transformation as a national priority. Our latest report, ‘Realising digital-first primary care: Shaping the future of UK healthcare’, highlights the challenges in achieving the policy ambition for a digital-first, primary care service and the key steps needed to speed up the adoption of technology by patients, staff and the wider healthcare system.
Reflections on World Cancer Day 2020. I Am and I Will.
By Maria João Cruz, Research Analyst, Centre for Health Solutions
Tuesday, 4th February, was the 20th World Cancer Day, a day that unites people, communities and entire countries to raise awareness and take action to reduce the global burden and impact of cancer. This year marks the mid-point of a three year campaign, led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), ‘I Am and I Will’. This campaign is seen as an empowering ‘call-to-action’, urging everyone to commit personally to taking action now to impact the future.1 Today, I want to share with you my reflections on the importance of this day.
Will Primary Care Networks be the engine of change to drive Integrated Care?
By Dr Jane Halpin and Dr Arvind Madan
Since July 2019, as part of the NHS Long Term Plans (LTPs) ambition to develop integrated health and care, all general practices in England have come together to form one of 1,250 or so Primary Care Networks (PCNs). While this isn’t the first attempt to encourage greater cooperation between practices, it is the first time in NHS history that real terms funding for primary and community health services is guaranteed to grow at a faster rate than that of the overall NHS budget, including £1.8 billion to support the establishment of PCNs.
Dry January: Is it time to reset your relationship with alcohol?
By Dr Mark Steedman, PhD, Manager, Centre for Health Solutions
Happy 2020 everyone! The New Year and new resolutions often go hand in hand. A new year brings an opportunity for a fresh start, to transform bad habits into good habits or to start something entirely new. For many, this means exercising more, eating healthier foods, spending more time with family or going to sleep earlier, to name only a few common New Year’s resolutions. Increasingly in the UK, people are starting month-long challenges during January to kick-start their resolutions and attempt to create better long-term habits. Dry January is one of these challenges.
Insights from our State of the State 2019-20 report: How health sector leaders and citizens view the outlook for NHS and social care services
By Karen Taylor, Director, Centre for Health Solutions
So the results of the election are now in, and the Conservatives have won a large majority, giving them a mandate to get on with implementing their manifesto promises. During their electioneering, all parties put the NHS and social care at centre stage, with the only differences being how much additional funding and new staff they would provide to tackle the acknowledged decline in performance. In October 2019, my public sector colleagues, together with the think tank Reform, published their eighth annual report, The State of the State 2019-20 the view from citizens, leaders and frontline public services.1 Friday the 13th, the morning after the election, seems like a good time to remind the new Government and those charged with implementing their policies of the 2019 report findings, particularly their findings on the NHS and social care.
2019 Global Survey of health care consumers: United Kingdom cut
By Karen Taylor and Krissie Ferris, Centre for Health Solutions
Since 2008, the Deloitte US Center for Health Solutions has polled a nationally representative sample of US adults (18 and older) about their experiences and attitudes related to their health, health insurance, and health care.1 Earlier this year we helped the US Center design a global survey to help understand what consumers value most about healthcare, and their appetite for digital innovations, including their willingness to share their personal health data. The US Center collected primary data through an online survey, fielded between May and June 2019, in seven countries (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands Singapore and the UK). It then compared their responses to responses from the US consumer survey conducted in 2018. The US Centre launched their report on the survey last week.2 This week’s blog is our take on the key findings for the UK.
Facts about ‘Flu’ and the chances of a significant outbreak in the UK this winter
By Andrew Bryan, Deloitte Financial Advisory
This summer’s high profile coverage of the ‘Aussie flu’ outbreak Down Under, got me thinking about how much of the coverage is media hype, and whether there is any available data to support the fears about flu outbreaks in the Northern hemisphere. With the UK now entering the flu season, this week’s blog explores my analysis and key findings.