New research by the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) and the University of Bristol examines the use of AI translation tools by frontline workers. A survey of 2,500 UK professionals found a third had used machine translation in their work, often in public-facing situations. More than 8 in 10 respondents worked in health and social care settings. The report highlighted a lack of institutional awareness and acknowledgement of this practice and the absence of appropriate policy frameworks. The majority of respondents said machine translation had never been mentioned in their workplace training, despite its frequent use. Uses of AI Translation in UK Public Service Contexts makes three key recommendations:
Find out more about the report on the CIOL website here.
The government has announced details of a new Mental Health Bill including new laws to give sectioned patients more dignity and say over their care. The aim is to modernise the Mental Health Act, better support patients and address disparities. Reforms include:
Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of PIF member Mind, said the bill was a "step closer to a more progressive mental health system". However, she said there was more to do and questions to ask about whether the bill would "go far enough".
Read about the reforms on the GOV.UK website here and see more on Mind's response here.
A new study brings together findings from systematic and scoping reviews to provide a summary of evidence on digital interventions in primary health care. Authors concluded mixed results related to health service quality and patients’ clinical conditions or behaviour changes may have been caused by deficiencies in the process of implementing digital interventions. They say it is necessary to examine the entire impact pathway and the causal relationship among implementation, health service quality and clinical condition outcomes to support the spread of digital health in primary healthcare settings.
Read more on the study via the JMIR website here.
The government’s NHS digital and data plans could exacerbate health inequalities for older people who do not have access to technology, the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has warned. The Department of Health and Social Care launched the Change.NHS.uk online engagement platform in October, inviting ideas for its forthcoming 10 year health plan. The plan is set to bring together a single patient record through the NHS App. The NPC, which represents around one million older people in the UK, estimates up to 3 in 10 of its members are not online. Up to a further 4 in 10 would have trouble navigating an online consultation or consent tool and could be disenfranchised through digital exclusion.
Read more about NPC's concerns via the Digital Health website here.
A new report shows how NHS trusts are helping patients get the care they need in the right place at the right time. The Providers Deliver: shifting care upstream report by NHS Providers shows how trusts are innovating and adapting to deliver the three key shifts called for by the government: moving from hospital to community-based care, from analogue to digital technology, and from a focus on treatment to prevention. The report says trusts are well placed to drive this transformation but more resource is needed to fully unlock the shift.
Read the full report via the NHS Providers website here.
The House of Lords Food, Diet and Obesity Committee has called on the new government to act on recommendations to fix our broken food system. The committee said the government must adopt a new, comprehensive and integrated food strategy to address the wide-ranging consequences of food system failures. Recipe for health: a plan to fix our broken food system says obesity and its consequences constitute a "public health emergency that represents a ticking time bomb for the nation’s health, wellbeing and finances".
Read the full report on the Parliament.UK website here.
Thousands of patients could get the all-clear for suspected throat cancer faster, thanks to a new iPhone device and app being piloted by the NHS. An adapter providing a 32mm lens and accompanying app can turn an iPhone into a portable diagnostic gadget used by nurses. The device captures live endoscopy examinations of the throat, which can then be instantly shared with specialist consultants via a secure data cloud. The technology is initially being rolled out across the West Midlands. It could eventually be used in any NHS setting, helping to free up time and resources in hospitals and reduce waiting times for treatment.
Read more about the new device on the NHS England website here.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has announced £80 million will be spent on research to protect the public from health threats. The money will fund 13 NIHR Health Protection Research Units across the country from 1 April 2025. The units are partnerships between UK universities and the UK Health Security Agency and aim to deliver high-quality collaborative research, enabling the agency to prepare for and respond to major or emerging health protection incidents. This includes long-term threats — such as antimicrobial resistance and climate change — and acute or emerging threats, such as pandemics and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents.
Read more about the research units on the NIHR website here.
A webinar will discuss if social prescribing works and whether it can reduce health service use and costs. The National Academy for Social Prescribing (NASP) will share findings from one of its recent briefings at the event. Panel members will include those who have carried out evaluations of social prescribing in practice. Data from social prescribing evaluations will also be presented and there will be an opportunity to ask questions and discuss the evaluations. The webinar will be held on 26 November, from 12.30pm-1.30pm.
Find out more and register for the webinar on the NASP website here.