Category Archives: Healthcare

Business, Cardiff, Charity, Charity Events, Healthcare, South Wales, Wales

Leaders and legends lunch to connect charity with business community

City Hospice has announced that its inaugural Chair’s Lunch will take place on 18 October at the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff.

Established in 1984, the charity is marking its 40th anniversary this year.

The exclusive ‘Leaders & Legends’ event, organised by the charity’s Chair Michael Baker and sponsored by Brewin Dolphin, will provide the south Wales business community with an opportunity to engage and celebrate with the charity in its 40th anniversary year and hear unique leadership insights from two of Wales’ most influential sporting figures.

Interviewed by Deborah Thomas, special guests Nigel Walker OBE and Sam Warburton OBE will share their experiences and thoughts on leadership on and off the rugby field.

The event will support City Hospice, the only provider of community specialist palliative care for patients in Cardiff with terminal or life limiting illnesses. The charity provides care and a range of services including welfare advice and complementary therapies for patients, as well as bereavement support and counselling for the families of its patients.

Michael Baker, Chair of City Hospice, said: “As the Chair of the board of trustees, I wanted to showcase and share the incredible work of City Hospice with the local business community in this special anniversary year.

“With my experience in consultancy focusing on management and leadership, the event just had to be with leaders and legends! It is the perfect opportunity to highlight the charity’s fantastic work. I am extremely grateful to Deborah, Nigel and Sam for being a part of our first Chair’s Lunch and hope guests gain inspiration from their leadership journeys.”

Deborah Thomas said: “Having been personally touched by City Hospice’s care and compassion, the Chair’s Lunch provides me with a chance to give back in a very special way. I am excited to interview Nigel and Sam and learn more about their perspectives on leadership.”

Nigel Walker OBE, WRU Executive Director of Rugby and City Hospice Ambassador, said: “I am thrilled to be a part of this exclusive business event in the charity’s ruby anniversary year. As well as hearing from Sam and I on leadership, I hope that businesses grasp this opportunity to engage with and learn more about the brilliant care and services City Hospice provides.”

For further information including booking details, visit https://www.cityhospice.org.uk/get-involved/upcoming-events/chairmans-lunch-leaders-legends/

Health, Healthcare, Healthcare Tech, Sports Tech

CryoClinix launches coldest 1 person chamber in the world for Spas

North Wales based CryoClinix has launched its new, one person electric cryotherapy chamber specifically for spas, cooling down to a record breaking -100 degrees C.

David Morris of CryoClinix said ‘other 1 person cryo chambers on the market only cool allegedly to -85 degrees C, which has little or no impact on the person receiving the treatment according to the wealth of independent medical research. Our 1 person chamber is unique, cooling down to an astonishing -100 degrees C, allowing the patient to experience all the positive physiological benefits that genuine cryotherapy brings’.

For the spa market, cryotherapy offers so much from anti ageing, weight loss, collagen boost to name a few, but also wellness benefits such as improved sleep, mobility, pain relief etc.

The 1 person chamber itself is really small in size, measuring only 1.7m wide and 1.1m deep. Amazingly it can be operated all day at a cost of only £25 in electricity, but unlike others can be operated continuously without having to turn it off for the machine to rest. The ability to have the CryoClinix chamber operating up to 14 hours a day maximises the spas opportunity for increased revenue growth. For the client themselves, they simply embrace the cold after selecting their own music from the built-in Alexa system.

David Morris continues ‘It’s so important that the chamber is cold enough to deliver the correct temperature for cryotherapy treatments. This temperature, along with the chambers look, size and low operational cost is a game changer for the spa industry, but also the cryotherapy engineering
sector too, given the proprietary advances in the technology used.’

The computerised operator software is the same as used in elite sports teams and facilities around the world, allowing automated on/off scheduling, and also ‘self cleaning’ of the system, freeing up the staffs time, all while being connected to the engineers 24/7 for constant monitoring of the chamber. With a purchase price of £75,000 in the UK, which includes installation and delivery, little wonder CryoClinix are confident that existing pre order interest from the USA, Europe and Middle East will be mirrored here in the UK.

For more information, please contact David Morris at CryoClinix davidm@cryoclinix.com

Healthcare, HR Tech, News, Technology

Practice Plus Group signs RLDatix to implement e-rostering solution

Practice Plus Group, the UK’s leading independent provider of healthcare services in prisons and immigration removal centres, has signed a 5-year contract with workforce solutions specialist RLDatix to implement its Optima solution to safely roster 3,300 prison healthcare staff – enabling them to deliver quality, equitable healthcare.
The RLDatix Optima system is due to go live later this year with the aim of offering an integrated and responsive rostering system designed to ensure the safety of staff and patients alike.
The Optima system incorporates data on staffing need for each area of the prison and provides users with a safe, but optimal roster that can be easily reviewed for safety, fairness and value.
Once live, the solution will be used daily by a prison healthcare workforce of 3,300 to support more than 41,000 patients at over 45 prisons across the UK.
More widely, it will also be used to enable the best possible rosters, matching staffing levels and patient needs, driving down agency spend, deliver real-time operational data for informed decisions, and enable staff to better manage their work life balance and reduce risk to patients.
Luke Wells, Service Director, Health in Justice, Practice Plus Group, said: “The move to RLDatix Optima aligns with our vision to provide safe and equitable healthcare.
“We chose RLDatix because of the quality of its system and the exemplary standard of data it could provide, with a high level of importance focused on the safety of our healthcare staff and our patients.
“We wanted a platform that could provide a fully flexible and intuitive solution, and RLDatix Optima demonstrated it could meet that essential need.”
Jonny Newsham, Head of Independent Healthcare and Partnerships at RLDatix said: “Our people rostering technology provides a holistic view of staffing needs across prisons where Practice Plus Group provide healthcare services to ensure the safety and efficiency of staff and patients alike.”
Discover more about RLDatix Optima and sign up for a roster assessment to review potential workforce processes improvements for your organisation.
Digital Healthcare, Healthcare, Mental Health, News

DrDoctor makes first move into the mental health and community care space with Maia acquisition

LONDON, UK, 12 August 2024: Today, DrDoctor, the UK’s leading patient engagement platform (PEP), announces the acquisition of personal health record platform ‘Maia’ from Mindwave Ventures. The purchase marks DrDoctor’s first move into the mental health and community support space and will accelerate its mission to implement system-level change to the patient engagement experience throughout the NHS.

Maia, which was custom built for and in collaboration with mental health service users, is a customisable engagement platform, care planning and personal health record (PHR) for the mental health, community, acute and specialist NHS Trusts. It allows service users and clinicians to access appointments and triaging, letters and clinical documents, care plans, questionnaires, resources, trackers, secure messaging and more.

By adopting these capabilities and incorporating the technology into its own, well established and widely adopted portfolio, DrDoctor can now offer Integrated Care Boards a single, interoperable solution which combines the best of both PHR and PEP and crosses care settings and workflow silos. DrDoctor’s platform is already live in 70 different trusts and health boards, supporting system level change and powering more than 128 million appointments.

 

With recent data from mental health charity Rethink Mental Health revealing patients can wait up to 315 days for elective care and 727 days for care in the community, the new process will offer operational and clinical teams a much-needed solution to plan, qualify and activate mental health care plans in an efficient and hybrid way. Crucially, the combined solution will also give patients greater visibility and control over their own care experience.

 

Tom Whicher, DrDoctor CEO comments: “The Maia technology is a really smart addition to our platform – it means we can ensure mental health is given the same attention and focus as physical health. By joining up a service users’ treatment pathway with their record, service users will have the tools necessary to better manage their own health journey and gain visibility and control. Technology enhances rather than replaces the face-to-face care experience and at DrDoctor we’re committed to connecting the disparate dots and siloed operational workflows across secondary and tertiary care settings to truly embed system level change.”

 

Already established as the original PEP, delivering the highest engagement and experience scores in the sector, DrDoctor has further ambitious plans to extend its proven solution across the healthcare ecosystem by investing in innovation which gives clinicians across all services a 360° view and patients greater control and choice over their care plans.

 

About DrDoctor

DrDoctor provides the UK’s leading patient engagement platform in the NHS, covering primary and secondary care across over 70 NHS trusts and health boards. Using digital appointment-booking services and video consultations, DrDoctor empowers patients to take control of their healthcare and works to improve patients’ DNA rates by up to 35 percent. Their mission is to work with their partners to understand the challenges facing their staff and deliver technology that automates routine tasks and common blockers whilst improving the quality of patient care. Founded in 2012, award-winning DrDoctor now has more than 150 employees and has booked more than 117 million appointments across NHS practices.

Employee Benefits, Healthcare, News

Health Shield Launches ‘Caring for Your People’ E-Book

Health Shield Friendly Society, the health cash plan provider has today launched a new e-book Caring For Your People.

The book is targeted at HR Managers / Heads Of prospects (all sectors), Rewards / Benefits Executives (all sectors), HR Managers / Heads Of prospects (Education, Finance and Manufacturers) and SME Business Owners.

Business owners, leaders and HR teams are continually facing challenges while looking to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. Whether facing economic fluctuations, technological advancements, or evolving workforce needs, the ability to identify needs and innovate is crucial for sustained success and growth. Caring For Your People uses insight, data and Health Shield case studies to highlight:

 

  • Ways employers can provide mental health support to employees
  • The impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the challenges employees face
  • The NHS pressures which are impacting employees
  • How to identify signs of poor mental health
  • Employee benefits for investing in wellbeing
  • How a health cash plan can support employees

 

Matt Liggins, Head of Wellbeing at Health Shield commented: “People are at the heart of every business, issues including salary costs, employee retention, and the need for mental health support are taking centre stage. Employees, grappling with an overburdened NHS and rising living costs, are now seeking more support from their employers.

“Investing in employee health and wellbeing is a key component in enhancing productivity, reducing absenteeism, and boosting morale. A health cash plan allows employees to claim money back on everyday healthcare costs such as dental, optical and physio as well as offering preventative services such as virtual GP’s, mental wellbeing support and rewards platforms. Additionally, our plans cover dependent children, and offer the option to add partners, ensuring comprehensive family health coverage. These services can help your employees, and their family, manage the rising cost of living and address some of the challenges posed by increased pressures on the NHS.”

 

For a copy of Caring For Your People please contact marketingteam@healthshield.co.uk or download a free copy here: https://info.healthshield.co.uk/caring_for_your_people_ebook

 

Education, Healthcare, News, Retail & E-commerce

Midlands philanthropist launches Key Worker magazine to thank essential services

A Staffordshire businessman and philanthropist has turned magazine publisher after feeling that ‘clapping for carers’ was not enough to recognise and reward Key Workers.

Accountant and business coach Martin, of Lichfield, is the driving force behind Key Worker Magazine and the soon-to-launch KeyHive online community for Key Workers in health, care, emergency services, education, retail and more.

With the magazine now in its second edition, Martin has overseen a focus on housing for Key Workers and has welcomed the new government’s plans to build more homes and extend social housing.

He said: “The proposals as outlined by the new Chancellor are encouraging and it’s good to see they are already turning into actions, not just words. In this issue of Key Worker magazine, NHS and charity staff told us that increasing rents are a massive source of stress and we have also received hundreds of emails from Key Workers with housing problems, including some who have been forced to sleep in their cars.”

Martin said: “This magazine is a way of saying thank you in a meaningful way to Key Workers. Clapping for (some of) our Key Workers was great, but like rainbows, some things fade with time.”

“So we are here to provide a permanent thank you, that promises to make the UK’s Key Workers feel valued, visible, and empowered in equal measure. In our latest magazine, which is in an online format, we also have an in-depth report about the future of housing as well as tenant rights and mortgage advice.”

“We will also soon be launching KeyHive because It’s time to give our Key Workers a rewarding platform where they can speak their mind and have their voices heard far and wide.”

“And it’s time to give them access to more affordable housing and greater support at every turn.”

Martin has curated a team of UK Key Workers and journalists to ensure relevant and worthwhile content for hardworking people at the heart of society.

Martin has been joined by senior Midlands journalist Linda Aitchison as editor.

Linda said: “To be able to help Key Workers make their voices heard about important issues, including housing, is a privilege. I am grateful to our readers who have contributed so frankly as well as the respected writers who have added their expertise.”

Anyone interested in finding out more should visit www.keyworkernation.org.uk/magazine

Eyecare, Healthcare, Midlands, News, Retail & E-commerce

Expert eyecare entrepreneurs bring 15 jobs to Merry Hill with focus on community support

A new independent eyecare brand which has created 15 new jobs after its founders ploughed their savings into the community-focused venture is set to be unveiled at Merry Hill shopping centre.

EyeCare Merry Hill will open on Wednesday, July 17 and directors say it’s the first of its kind in a major shopping outlet throughout the West Midlands.

Some 2,500 people applied for the new roles available and 400 potential staff were interviewed.

The almost 5,000 square-foot facility, formerly a HSBC bank, has undergone a major refurbishment after business partners Raven Padda, 26, and Gobind Dubb, 28, saved ‘every penny’ from former senior roles alongside commercial funding.

Now, the eyewear practice has already forged links with Black Country hospitals Stourside and Russel’s Hall, to ensure smooth and speedy referrals for patients, as well as supporting the local community through sponsorship of Dudley Town’s Under 11s team and local corporate packages.

Directors Raven, of Wednesfield and Gobind, of Handsworth Wood, are both experienced senior experts in eyecare, with Raven a practice manager at 21 and Gobind a specialist independent prescriber at 25.

State of the art technology at EyeCare Merry Hill includes an on-site lab to manufacture lenses in as little as 30 minutes and pioneering lens tables allowing customers to immediately grasp how new prescriptions will work for them.

Raven and Gobind have also invested in industry leading equipment for eye testing to support diabetic patients as well as spotting the signs of myopia in children.

Raven said: “We were blown away by the interest in working with us and we have been able to choose the very best candidates with the right expertise. We have committed to serious training and development and clinical support staff as well as ‘meeters and greeters’ so that people experience a warm welcome.

“Alongside Birmingham-based providers Newmedica and Optegra The new practice will include eight consultation rooms, refreshments bar and boutique style dispensing stations allowing patients to experience the best in class eyecare.

“Having experienced the level of care, choice and service in major opticians chains, we want to make sure our patients and customers experience the very best.

“We pledge to provide the best eye care journey available. Our expert Optometrists and amazing team will be on hand to help and are very much committed to being an independent, neighbourhood eyecare provider.

“We include comprehensive tests for children as part of a general consultation and these are free until the age of 16. Our technology allows us to manage a growing condition of Myopia in the general population and help with slowing its progression.

“This is one of a number of unique services we can offer to put our patients first. As Gobind is a Qualified Independent Prescriber, this makes a real difference as our service is much quicker and more tailored than having to make a doctor’s appointment or get stuck in a lengthier process at a chain of opticians. This also means we can also offer a lot more choice frames and other products across various ranges rather than being limited to one chain’s suppliers.

“We also have a dedicated on-site call centre so that we can support our customers in offering unrivalled service.

“We have the largest collection of children’s frames in the region and more than 300 options for sunglasses, with or without a prescription.

“We are also the largest outlet for Cartier in the West Midlands, alongside  extensive frame ranges in further exclusive brands; Hublot, Tag Heuer and Celine.

“Our frames can suit every budget starting at just £59 up to £3,000 for an 18 carat gold plated pair of Cartier specs.

“We are proud to aim to truly serve the community as an independent practitioner but also have a real touch of luxury for those who want the most premium accessories.”

The new store’s opening comes five years after Raven first met Gobind, at the time they were still studying. Raven opted to pursue a career in entrepreneurship and joined forces with Gobind’s s vast qualifications in optics-related Medical Retina and Glaucoma.

Months on they decided to focus on eyecare and dreamt of opening their own facility, saving all their earnings to work towards their goal.

 

*Mayor of Dudley, Hilary Bils, will officially open EyeCare Merry Hill at 10.30am on Wednesday, July 17.

The practice is next to Superdrug within the centre, on the ground floor close to the Car Park One entrance.

 

For more information see: https://eyecaremerryhill.com/

Digital Healthcare, Healthcare, Healthcare Tech

West Suffolk Hospital Cuts Waiting List With New Technology Integration

DrDoctor’s new partnership with MBI Health sees integration of DrDoctor’s Quick Question tool applied to support trusts with hospital waitlist validation

DrDoctor, the UK’s leading patient engagement platform (PEP) supplier, has today announced a new integration partnership with MBI Health (MBI), the UK’s leading organisation for elective care automation and performance improvement.

The integration partnership, which combines DrDoctor’s Quick Question tool, with MBI’s waitlist validation capabilities, will work together to better manage patient flow and ensure timely, efficient care for patients.

According to West Suffolk Hospital, the integration partnership has already aided in bringing down wait times. Over 10% of patients contacted were removed with the vast majority of removals who had waited less than 40 weeks. This comes as a result of the integration of DrDoctor’s Quick Question tool into MBI’s waitlist validation tool- which now enables teams to send out practical questions to patients in less than five minutes and get rapid responses – to identify whether patients need to be on the waitlist for an appointment. MBI’s AI-backed tool then automatically sorts the Quick Question patient responses, accurately adjusting where there are patients safe to remove without any manual attention.

The tool will support trusts, like West Suffolk Hospital, in improving the patient experience and generating renewed efficiencies. With no login required, the Quick Question tool sees 90% of responses within the first 48 hours, supporting trusts patient engagement digital strategies.

Beyond waitlist reduction, the collaboration also validates patient information instantly, which not only saves administrative burden, but frees up capacity for medical staff. This frees up time previously being spent on laborious and manual waitlist validation work.

Hannah Knights, Head of Operations of Elective Care at West Suffolk Hospital said: “Our operational teams are under immense pressure to support clinical staff while managing the long waits. Our now automated waitlist validation tool allows us to reduce the pressure on our non-medical staff while allowing clinical teams to continue providing the best care. Our top priority is seeing  patients that need to be seen – and leveraging these tools is the best way to tackle the long-standing obstacles in our way”.

Founder of MBI, Barry Mulholland commented: “By leveraging our industry leading solution, West Suffolk Hospital has been able to demonstrate its exceptional commitment to delivering the best care and driving increased operational efficiencies and patient safety. Our partnership with DrDoctor will support trusts in equipping patients with the tools they need to effectively engage in their care, whilst supporting trusts in delivering the necessary outcomes”.

Founder and CEO of DrDoctor, Tom Whicher added: “Our collaboration with MBI is at the core of our mission, which is to help solve the immediate pressures facing the NHS. At DrDoctor, we understand that it is only possible to provide trusts with the best experience by collaborating with committed teams working towards the same end goal, like MBI. We’re delighted to report on the work we’re doing with them at West Suffolk Hospital to help prioritise what we know is most important to trusts right now – waitlist reduction. Integrations like this continue to help us in delivering a more hybrid approach to healthcare for patients – ensuring those who need to be seen in person, are prioritised, and those who can get care remotely, are able to do so”.

 

Construction News, Health, Healthcare, London, London News

Amethyst Radiotherapy achieves high-rise Gamma Knife source loader crane installation feat at Queen Square Centre, Central London

Amethyst Radiotherapy a leader in cutting-edge cancer treatment, specifically Stereotactic Radiosurgery, is proud to announce the successful upgrade of its Gamma Knife machine at its prestigious Queen Square centre in central London.

Specialised cranage equipment was used, lifting over 15 tonnes of equipment between the two high-rise buildings located in Central London. The Source Loader weighed approximately nine tonnes, with the radiation vault at roughly five tonnes – a variety of other equipment also required specialist transportation.

The Gamma Knife source loader is a sophisticated device used to precisely position radioactive sources, specifically cobalt-60, within the Gamma Knife machine.

This technology is critical for targeting and treating brain tumours with high doses of radiation, whilst minimising exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. The precision of the source loader is vital for the effectiveness and safety of Gamma Knife radiotherapy, offering non-invasive treatment options for patients with various neurological conditions and metastatic brain tumours.

Issues were faced – including an unrelated protest march which prevented the access and delivery of equipment, vehicles not following the temporary parking restrictions and more.

The complicated installation process underscores the intricate logistics undertaken by the Amethyst team to ensure a safe and efficient installation, reducing disruption to the surrounding area, whilst continuing to strive to deliver world class treatment.

Following the successful installation, the equipment will soon be resuming treatment of NHS and private patients.

 

Daniel Lumley, Director of Clinical Operations, Amethyst UK commented:

“The logistical challenges of transporting and installing the source loader and radiation vault were formidable, particularly given the dense urban environment of central London.”

”The use of a crane was essential for positioning these heavy and sensitive components with precision. Our team’s expertise in navigating these complexities was critical to the successful upgrade of our facilities – I’d like to thank all involved, from within Amethyst and the outside contractors who contributed to the project’s success.”

Mr Neil Kitchen, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Medical Director for the Queen Square Gamma Knife Unit commented:

“The reloading of our state of the art gamma knife treatment platform with brand new cobalt radiation sources will halve treatment times for our patients making their therapy less onerous and allowing us to treat many more patients efficiently thus reducing waiting times. As Clinical Director, on behalf of the clinical team, I would like to thank Amethyst UK and UCLH for completing this complicated task.”

 

Child Development, Childcare, Children and Childcare, Education, Education News, Healthcare, Mental Health, News

Major Study Reveals Skills Children Need to Navigate an Uncertain Future

Parents value ‘soft skills’ over ‘hard skills’ to future-proof their children’s wellbeing, new research reveals.

  • 38% cited resilience and the ability to cope through change as most important
  • 38% are most concerned with their children developing interpersonal and social skills 
  • Only 29% listed maths and data analysis as a key skill
  • Working parents aged 55+ believe resilience and the ability to cope is most valuable (49%), while parents aged 18-34 place most emphasis on imagination, creativity and problem solving (32%)

A survey of over 3,000 working parents has revealed that in a world of rapidly evolving technology and AI, parents want their children to develop life skills over those that are technical or academic.

The findings formed part of Bright Horizons’ UK annual Modern Families Index survey and found that parents today are acutely aware they are preparing their children for an unpredictable future – and a world of jobs that don’t yet exist.

To counter these growing concerns and fears for their children’s mental health, parents are placing greater importance on life skills such as resilience and ability to cope – above technical skills such as maths and IT.

 

One parent quoted in the report revealed: “Having interpersonal skills and resilience helps her to understand when she should say no to something. She will live in a world where no one will ever be able to switch off. She needs to be able to create boundaries and show her worth at work so as to not be overlooked by AI.”

Rather than simply preparing for school or for a specific career path, parents recognise their children need to be prepared for life, with the confidence and motivation to flourish, whatever the circumstances.

 

Caroline Wright, Director of Early Childhood at Bright Horizons UK commented: “These findings amplify the importance of the uniquely holistic educational approach practised in our nurseries. There is a rapidly growing need for parents to feel their child’s emotional development is being supported as they mature, so by introducing the concept of positive mental health from an early age, we can help children feel safe and secure and be open to learning. 

“Our Nurture ApproachTM places equal emphasis on children’s emotional wellbeing, as well as practical and academic skills, and this provides the foundations for children to reach their full potential – preparing them for life in an ever-changing world.” 

 

Further data shows parents seek support and guidance through their employers on developing children’s emotional and interpersonal skills in their parenting. This is evident through those utilising Bright Horizons’ Work+Family Solutions ‘Speak to an Expert’ service. Almost half of employees using the provision were seeking advice on young people’s resilience, wellbeing and helping their children manage emotions.

 

 

About Bright Horizons 

In our nurseries, the Bright Horizons Nurture Approach recognises the individual needs of each child, and focuses on promoting confidence, wellbeing and a genuine love for learning. Based on extensive pedagogical theory and the latest neuroscientific research, our approach is based on the premise that emotional resilience and wellbeing is just as important as other early childhood foundational skills, such as counting and literacy. It also focuses on the significance of the adult role as educators, and the importance of secure attachments between children, families and the key person.

Bright Horizons Work+Family Solutions provides best in class practical, wellbeing and developmental solutions, supporting employers and employees with the holistic combination of work and family. With over 400 clients in the UK, and more than 1,300 globally, the company provides a full range of supports and acts as a trusted partner, provider, and advisor on employer strategies to meet companies’ objectives. This plays a key part in attracting, engaging, and retaining talented people for their clients and the bespoke services address the practical, wellbeing and cultural needs of organisations and individuals.