Press release from inHealthcare about a new addition to their range, the Watch BP Home A device which was developed by Microlife and measures blood pressure and pulse and, at the same time, detecting the abnormal rhythm which indicates atrial fibrillation (AF) – an abnormal rhythm that is responsible for 20 per cent of strokes, and significantly increases the risk of a stroke in the people that have it.

Editor Steve never posts links to items that he has not checked out…but here, for the very first time, are two. The first is an article by Prof. James Barlow. The second is a report by the Digital Policy Alliance. I anticipate that one will be interesting and one will be the ‘Same old, same old’. Am I right? Someone please read them and tell me!

Following the recent announcement of their new partnership, a copy of a section of this month’s Saga Magazine courtesy of GrandCare’s blog reveals how Saga is working with GrandCare to develop a service for use by families in the UK: “We are currently piloting it in 20 or so homes and aim to have our system available in parts of the UK in the first quarter of this year and nationally by the summer.

“The UK version will have similar functionality to its American cousin, ie: a touch screen in your loved one’s home that allows them to:

• See messages, photos and videos that you, or anyone authorised by you, send them
• Make video calls (such as Skype)
• Use websites that you set up for them – at the touch of a single button
• See (and hear) medication reminders
• Take readings of things such as weight, blood pressure or glucose levels and share them with the appropriate people

“The system can also record movement around the home and send alerts – such as a text message to tell the carer on the receiving end that, say, a back door has been opened after 10pm.

“The system can be monitored using any device – a laptop, smart phone or iPad – so that family and carers can keep in touch wherever they are in the world.

“We envisage that the touch screen will cost the same as a basic PC – around £300-£400 – with a low monthly charge for the service.”

The magazine item (PDF download) [or web page version] also includes a description of the development of the GrandCare telecare system. Heads-up thanks to Cathy Stephenson.

It seems but yesterday that Telecare Aware readers were flagging up that the £3.2 million procurement by NHS North Yorkshire and York PCT (NYY) of Tunstall telehealth monitoring equipment (including ‘free’ implementation consultancy services but plus ongoing costs of £1.7m per year) looked too hasty, too large and too soon.

But no, it is over two years since NYY PCT responds to Telecare Aware item: The £3+ million telehealth spend that has achieved…what? was published.

So it gives editor Steve no pleasure at all to point you to the following article that appeared in the Yorkshire Post today: Telehealth revolution in tatters after snub by doctors. In short, the failure of the project to take off is causing the local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) that take over responsibility for it in April to question its future. The journalist dissects the issues so I shall leave it to him or her to do that for you.

However, if the CCGs do pull the plug on the project it will be interesting to see what happens with the taxpayers’ unused telehealth equipment that Tunstall has been paid for but not yet had to deliver. Does the contract entitle them to pocket the difference? Or perhaps one of the CCGs could take delivery of the remaining equipment and make it available to other Telehealth Pathfinder sites. One final question lingers… Where is Ernst & Young (Tunstall’s implementation consultancy subcontractors) [TA Jan 2012] and its reputed £1m fee in all this?*

* “For over two years now Ernst & Young have played a major part in deploying telehealth at scale in a number of NHS regions.” E&Y press release.

The Surrey-based investment company Moonray Healthcare which bought Telehealth Solutions Limited (THSL) in early 2011 [TA item] has now acquired Wiltshire Medical Services (WMS) with the intention of bringing the two together. Press release: WMS and THSL come together to create new breed of telehealthcare provider.

Telehealth Solutions was founded in 2006 and, after a couple of years finding its feet, has since been making strong progress in the UK telehealth market. It is one of the few companies (other than Tunstall) that has benefited from the Government Procurement Service’s Framework Agreement. Wiltshire Medical Services’ core business has been to provide out-of-hours services to GPs but a while ago it extended its call centre operations into telecare monitoring. Moonray, which says it is into investment in this field to add long term value looks like it has made a smart move in arranging their marriage. Although the press release says “As part of the deal WMS will acquire Telehealth Solutions…” it is not yet clear which company will take the other’s name or whether a new brand will emerge, but a name containing something as local as ‘Wiltshire’ does not sound like a good bet.

Excellent news from TANN Ireland – in response to a public outcry over the weekend, the Irish Government has reversed its decision to halve the budget for personal alarms/telecare this year. Irish Government reverses elderly personal alarm decision. Previous item about the proposed cuts.

Hughes Network Systems will provide broadband satellite services to the New England Telehealth Consortium under a four-year contract. It will enable services to three truck-based, one boat-based and one fixed-location units, providing medical care to migrant farm workers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. They are also in discussion with the VA. [See also Hughes Telematics item 14 June 2012, third bullet down.] Spaceway is “a router in the sky,” explained Tony Bardo at Hughes. “This is a routable, private network for the New England Telehealth Consortium, and we can offer them considerably higher speeds than with our traditional Ku satellites.” Until now, Hughes’ satellite-based private network services have been used primarily by government agencies involved in public safety applications. They hope that the New England Telehealth Consortium deal will open up a new market for telemedicine. More detail: Hughes wins its first satellite-based telemedicine deal NetworkedWorld. Heads-up thanks to Peter Range.

Do you know of any innovative projects in telehealth and telecare? [Hmm!] The call for papers is open for the King’s Fund third annual International Congress on Telehealth and Telecare, 1-3 July 2013, London. Submissions are invited on latest research results and/or reports on the progress and effect of projects in telehealth and telecare. Submissions deadline February 15th.

Not telecare directly, but may have implications for telecare/telehealth suppliers: Ofcom, the UK’s Independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries is reviewing the types of, and access to, support that phone and broadband providers are required to offer disabled people. Summary details here. Consultation closes 22 February 2013.

Ireland’s Seniors Alert Scheme, which provides grants for over 65s to buy personal monitored alarms, has been cut by 53%. Last year €2.4m was allocated to the scheme run by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. But under changes contained in December’s Budget and just announced, the funding has been cut to €1.1m. There has been widespread criticism of the decision, not least given the recent spate of robberies on the elderly around the country. Links to news stories on TANN Ireland.

Here’s a link UK readers may want to email to their GPs, or their practice managers. It might do more good for the cause of telehealth than Department of Health endorsement or even 3ML publicity.

In brief, NHS Stoke on Trent CCG has been running a clinical rollout of Simple Telehealth’s advice and interactive Florence SMS texting service and is now offering to fund a CCG’s licence for a year, including costs of at least 15,000 patient texts, and helping with implementing Florence across each participating CCG. See Telehealth no longer a remote possibility for general practice GP Online for details. Whether you pass it on or not, it is a good description of the system and the areas it covers, including a mapping of Florence to the NHS Outcomes Framework. Head-up thanks to Mike Clark.