Publish date: 13 February 2024
Trials of new wireless technologies to help improve patient care and strengthen connectivity in A&Es and ambulance bays are set to launch across seven NHS trusts - including Mid Cheshire Hospitals - following new funding from NHS England.
Around £1million in total has been awarded to seven trusts as part of NHS England’s Wireless Trials programme, which seeks to make the most of cutting-edge wireless technologies to provide the best care and experiences for patients, while freeing up more staff time to spend with their patients.
Mid Cheshire and Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS trusts will use the funding to install wireless trackers on medical equipment and hospital beds, which allow real-time monitoring and location tracking so that staff can easily find what they need, when they need it.
Dylan Williams, Chief Information Officer at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, said: “We’re delighted to be successful in our bid for £200,000 from NHS England’s Wireless Trials programme.
“Piloting this cutting-edge technology is an exciting opportunity for us as we drive forwards with the creation of a new Leighton Hospital Campus in Cheshire.
“At our Trust, the money will fund an innovative project that tracks medical equipment at our hospitals. Initially, we’ll trial it on infusion pumps. This will support efficient maintenance of the equipment and ensure clinical staff can quickly and easily locate the pumps when needed.
“One of our key ambitions for the New Hospital Programme is to embrace digital technology and the benefits it can bring for our patients and staff. Trialling this project now allows us to make significant progress with one of the advancements that we can expect to be commonplace at Mid Cheshire Hospitals in the future.”
The Mid Cheshire trial is expected to be completed by summer 2024.
Meanwhile, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust will trial an innovative approach of combining satellite and cloud-based wireless solutions to enhance connectivity across their 10 hospital sites and wider community services.
The North West and East of England ambulance services trusts will also roll out improved wireless connections in A&E and ambulance areas, speeding up the transfer of essential patient care data from ambulances to hospitals.
Another project run by Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust will introduce a new app that allows staff to take observations on tablets and smartphones by a patient’s bedside, reducing the time spent typing up patient notes and providing more time to spend with patients.
A trial at the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust will wirelessly link modern diagnostic devices with the trust’s electronic patient records system, speeding up assessment time for patients.
Stephen Koch, Executive Director of Platforms, NHS England, said: “I have been impressed with the innovative ideas coming from the system and we are delighted to be able to award this funding to the successful trialists to develop new or improved wireless solutions for the NHS.
“We’ll be monitoring the outcomes of the trials and are very hopeful that a number of these will be able to be scaled more broadly across the health and social care system saving clinical time, improving patient care and saving money for the system.”
Previous wireless trials included the development of University College London Hospitals’ Find and Treat service, which uses high-tech tools and software to provide real-time remote diagnosis and referrals on board a mobile health unit. The service provides remote screening, testing and treatment for vulnerable, homeless, and high-risk people in London.
Another trial led to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust becoming the first 5G-connected hospital in the UK.
This Wireless Trials programme aims to provide NHS organisations with the capability they need to deliver the challenging digital ambitions set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.
The trialists will benefit from funding for their project, advice and guidance from NHS England, and the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded organisations. NHS England will also capture best practice from successful trialists and share this across the wider NHS.
Applications for the next series of wireless trials will open later this year. More details are available on the Connectivity Hub at Connectivity Hub - NHS Digital
