Digital platform needs work; report highlights gender pain gap; patients turning to AI chatbots
Scotland’s digital platform ‘falling short of expectations’
Scotland’s new digital health and social care platform, MyCare.scot, has launched. But with limited functionality and low public awareness, it is clear that more work is still needed.
Louise Coupland, Digital Health and Social Care Programme Manager for the ALLIANCE, explains what needs to be prioritised to ensure MyCare.scot reaches its full potential.
Read her opinions on the national roll out on the ALLIANCE website.
Updated report highlights gender pain gap
A new report from Nurofen outlines the perceived disparity between how pain is treated across men and women in the UK. The fourth edition of the Gender Pain Gap report examines not only whether the gap exists but also the impact it has on women and their health journeys.
More than 5 in 10 women felt their pain was ignored or dismissed. And more than 9 in 10 women who experienced dismissal say it had a negative impact on them.
Read the latest Gender Pain Gap Index Report here.
Study: 1 in 7 prefer consulting AI chatbots to seeing doctor
1 in 7 people are using AI chatbots for health advice instead of seeing their GP, a UK study has found. The poll of more than 2,000 people found that - of those turning to chatbots - nearly 2 in 7 had done so because of long NHS waiting lists.
- This week, the NHS announced it has hit its target for the number of patients waiting 18 weeks for treatment as the waiting list saw its largest drop in 16 years. Read the full story here.
Introducing the new health secretary
Following the resignation of Wes Streeting, the UK government has appointed a new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. James Murray was previously Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Read his biography on the government website.
Conference to focus on younger people with breast cancer
PIF member CoppaFeel! is hosting its first-ever conference on Thursday 25 June. The event will bring together leading voices across healthcare, policy, research and the third sector to push for improvement on outcomes for younger people with breast cancer.
Cancers in young adults (under 50) rose by 79% between 1990 and 2019. And under-50s are twice as likely to be diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer than someone in their 60s.
Find out more and register for a place on the Coppafeel website.
NHS and Morrisons put cancer warning signs in the shower
Morrisons is the first supermarket to roll out cancer awareness messages on bath and shower products as part of an NHS drive to help more people spot possible symptoms earlier and come forward for checks.
The new shower and bath products will carry messages including “Be body aware” and “Know the signs of cancer”. They aim to encourage people to get to know what is normal for their body and contact their GP practice if something doesn’t feel right.
Read the press release from the NHS here.
Read this week’s member story, which focuses on the Robin Cancer Trust's work to raise awareness of testicular cancer.