Technology at forefront of NHS treatment in Scotland

EDINBURGH – Online scanning to allow remote diagnosis for island patients and Scotland's biggest telehealth system are among a raft of hi-tech projects to help more patients be treated quicker and closer to home.

EHealth investment totalling £1.6million - including funding from the NHS's major IT partner - has been announced today by Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

Speaking at the first annual Scottish Telehealth and Telecare conference, Sturgeon unveiled details of projects extending the use of electronic technology in the NHS, including:

 

Touch screens in the homes of hundreds of patients with chronic conditions in Lothian, allowing them to be monitored from home;

 

 

Online scanning allowing patients in Orkney to be diagnosed remotely, avoiding lengthy trips to hospital;

 

 

New software in Glasgow transmitting patients' records directly to consulting rooms.

 

"Telehealthcare technologies and eHealth have huge potential to benefit patients, by harnessing all that technology can offer to make care quicker, safer and closer to home. It also allows more efficient working and better support for our health and care staff," Sturgeon said.

"In eHealth, our joint investment in 16 pilot projects will help patients in hospital and at home. At the West of Scotland Heart and Lung Centre, for example, they're replacing cardiac databases with the latest systems to improve patient safety.

"Together with NHS Lothian, we're also rolling out Scotland's biggest telehome monitoring system. Four hundred people living with conditions like heart failure or chronic lung disease will have touch screens to monitor their vital signs from home, helping them avoid repeated hospital visits."

The overall eHealth funding announcements made by the Cabinet Secretary totalled £1.6million - £564,000 of which comes from the Atos Origin Alliance, an innovation fund from the NHS's main IT partner.

The Atos Origin Alliance comprises Atos Origin, BT, IBM and Sopra Group.

The roll-out of the £700,000 telehealth project for long term-condition patients is funded equally between the Scottish Government and NHS Lothian.