NHS online hospital plans unveiled; Project identifies childhood deafness priorities; Launch of new research platform
Innovative new NHS "online hospital" to transform healthcare
The NHS has unveiled plans to create an "online hospital" which it says will boost waiting times and give patients more control over their care. The new system – NHS Online – will give patients the option of being referred to the online hospital for their specialist care. They will then be able to book directly through the NHS App. They will also have the ability to see specialists from around the country online without leaving their home or having to wait longer for a face-to-face appointment. If they need a scan, test or procedure, they will be able to book this at Community Diagnostic Centres closer to home.
The first patients will be able to use the service from 2027 and the initial focus will be on a small number of planned treatment areas with the longest waits. Before NHS Online goes live, the NHS will learn from existing research on patient experience of online care over the last five years. The new service has been welcomed by PIF member National Voices. CEO Jacob Lant said, by building on the wealth of patient feedback about the roll-out of existing digital NHS services, there is a chance to build something "genuinely transformational". Jacob said the model will need to work seamlessly with physical services and the NHS needs to be aware of digital exclusion.
Read more about the online hospital plans on the NHS England website here.
What researchers should study about childhood deafness
A project funded by the National Deaf Children’s Society and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has highlighted what matters most to children affected by deafness and hearing loss. The project's aim was to create a top 10 of important research questions from both deaf children and adults (young people, families and health and education professionals). Several hundred respondents contributed to the Childhood Deafness Research Network project through a series of online surveys. Children were involved through activity-based focus groups and participants collaborated during two final full-day workshops.
Children highlighted the potential impact of them ‘missing out’ on things happening around them when interacting with their peers as their top priority. Adults ranked educational needs as number 1, highlighting the importance of supporting deaf children in schools, particularly those with additional needs. Adults also highlighted how communication choices, like British Sign Language (BSL), spoken language, or a combination of both, affect deaf children’s mental health, education, and wellbeing, and how can this be communicated to families to ensure informed choice(s).
Read more about the project on the Childhood Deafness Research Network website here.
New platform to make research more diverse
A free online platform which aims to make research more diverse and rooted in lived experience has been launched. The Voluntary Sector North West (VSNW) says the new BRIDGE Research Network brings together diverse perspectives from healthcare professionals and academic researchers to community leaders and grassroots organisations. It aims to better understand and address the complex challenges facing communities that often go unnoticed. The network also works to help build trusted relationships to co-produce meaningful work and provides access funding, training and tools to strengthen research engagement and impact. An online event is being held to celebrate the launch on Monday 20 October from 1pm-2.30pm.
Find out more and register for the online launch on the BRIDGE website here.
AI screening platform could speed up diagnosis
A new screening platform will give NHS staff access to revolutionary AI tools to help analyse screening images and pinpoint abnormalities. The NIHR-funded ‘cloud-based’ AI research screening platform will enable NHS trusts across the country to join Al trials aiming to help speed up diagnosis. The system, dubbed AIR-SP, is being built by NHS England and will hold multiple AI tools in a single place. It is expected to be rolled out for research purposes in 2027.
The new system will first be used in a NIHR-funded breast cancer screening trial which will see nearly 700,000 women across the country taking part in the £11m world-leading study. The research team will harness AI to help identify changes in breast tissue that show possible signs of cancer and refer them for further investigations if required. A world-first AI early warning system is also being developed to automatically identify safety concerns across the NHS.
Read more about the AI screening platform on the NIHR website here.
Access to vital NHS funding is "unfair and inconsistent"
New research by the Nuffield Trust has found NHS-funded care packages are failing to reach some of the most unwell patients in England. NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) - a package of free health and social care provided outside of hospital - is also reinforcing regional inequalities, according to the research. Overall demand for health and care services has risen and spending on CHC increased between 2017 and 2023. But the Nuffield Trust report showed the total number of people found eligible for the service has fallen and varies significantly across the country. The research, part-funded by the Nuffield Foundation, found in 2022/23 (latest data), a person found eligible for Standard CHC in the North West had on average £22,432 less spent on their care that year. Nuffield Trust Fellow Rachel Hutchings said the research suggests that access to this vital funding is unfair and inconsistent.
Read more about the research on the Nuffield Trust website here.
Patient involvement among topics in new explainer videos
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has launched a new series of explainer videos on its website. The series of short, engaging videos covers key topics central to the ABPI work and mission. The video topics range from the use of health data for research and patient involvement in the pharmaceutical industry to explainers about clinical trials and the medicines supply chain. The videos are designed to explain these and other areas in a more accessible way, to supplement the existing website content. In the video about patient involvement, Dr Amit Aggarwal, ABPI Executive Director Medical Affairs & Strategic Partnerships, describes involving patients in the development process for new medicines and new policies as "absolutely essential".
Find all of ABPI's videos on its YouTube channel here.
STUDY: First detailed analysis of social prescribing roll-out
A study has found that social prescribing - connecting patients to community services - has expanded rapidly in England, far exceeding initial targets of 900,000 patients by 2023-24. Researchers said progress was being made in reaching specific target groups, such as more deprived communities. However, there are still disparities in accessibility and uptake, with calls for targeted strategies to address underlying inequalities. The study involved analysing anonymised patient data which is routinely collected from over 2,000 GP practices across the UK. The researchers highlight the importance of annual monitoring of the rates and patterns of social prescribing referrals. They also suggest GP practices are encouraged to consider barriers and enablers of access to reduce refusal rates and encourage sustained engagement.
Find the full study via The Lancet website here.
Charity finds serious gaps in dementia care
PIF member the Alzheimer's Society says the insights and experiences shared by people affected by dementia expose a system buckling under pressure and serious gaps in care, diagnosis, and public awareness – leaving too many families to cope alone. For a second year, the charity commissioned a lived experience survey to understand the experiences of people affected by dementia across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The survey findings are explored in a new report which reveals the everyday challenges people face.
Key findings include:
- More than 4 in 10 people with dementia felt ashamed or stigmatised to be living with symptoms.
- 2 in 10 survey respondents have not received any health or care support for the person they know or care for living with dementia.
- Just over 7 in 10 people with dementia and 6 in 10 unpaid carers found the dementia diagnosis process stressful.
- Only 2 in 10 of those who know closely or care for someone with dementia know who to contact for healthcare support for the person with dementia.
Read the full survey report on the Alzheimer's Society website here.
STUDY: The impact of using online mental health forums
Researchers have warned that care is needed to ensure online mental health forums are well designed and moderators are well trained and supported. A study into the impact of online forums on mental health outcomes included extensive input from a patient and public involvement group, which met monthly for 22 two-hour-long workshops. Forums that are easy to navigate, make users feel safe to post and are supported by well-trained moderators offering timely and sensitive responses can help people find new ways to make sense of their mental health challenges. The study found negative impacts can occur if forums are difficult to navigate or if moderation is unresponsive, insensitive, or inadequate. The research aims to help potential users, health professionals, service providers, and commissioners to decide whether to use forums and which to choose. The findings will also inform the co-design of a web-based moderator toolkit and design guidelines, which will be freely available.
Read the study via the JMIR website here.
EVENT: Turning ambition into action on cancer care
A free online event will discuss what impact the government's 10 Year Health Plan is set to have on cancer care. Hosted by PIF member The King's Fund, the event will look at the government's vision for neighbourhood health services and what the focus on technology and innovation will mean for people living with cancer. The panel discussion will bring together senior leaders to look at how the forthcoming cancer plan will build on the vision and how ambition can turn into action. They will explore how, with the focus on technology, equitable access and unwarranted variation of care can be ensured. Discussion will also focus on whether changes across national policy can help to improve patient pathways and outcomes.
Find out more and register for the event on The King's Fund website here.