20.08.20
UKRI supporting new COPD service which could help thousands
A new service which could help thousands of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) better manage their condition is one of a range of innovative solutions being supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Being backed as part of UKRI’s Digital Health Technology Catalysts (DHTC) programme, the service and a linked website allow patients to more accurately predict and manage flare-ups of their condition.
In Scotland alone, COPD affects approximately 120,000 people and is the second most common reason for emergency hospital admissions. The new service is being offered to 2,000 patients across the Greater Glasgow and Clyde region.
It allows secure messaging between patients, their doctor and the community response team, meaning routine care is able to continue effectively.
The brainchild of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, working with a digital transformation firm, the scheme attracted funding from the Scottish Government, the West of Scotland Innovation Hub and Digital Health and Care Institute Scotland. Should results from the scale-up in Greater Glasgow and Clyde prove successful, the service is set to be offered to other health boards.
Dr Chris Carlin, Consultant Respiratory Physician, NHS GG&C said: “At the moment, NHS management of COPD is reactive. We’re aiming to predict what will happen with this condition so we can be much more proactive, without having to bring patients up and down from hospital. This is so important now with changes that have need to be made because of COVID-19.
“We’re really pleased to be able to offer this to all patients in order to improve their care and management of this condition.”
Chris Geary, DHTC Innovation Lead at UKRI, said: “When we announced a £35 million investment in Digital Health Technology Catalysts projects like Dynamic Scot were exactly the sorts of innovations we hoped would result.
“This, and other projects that bring the NHS and digital companies together, will both help to grow and support a more innovative digital health sector and improve patient outcomes and access to treatment.”