The EPIC project’s aim is to improve the use of technology in both health and social care for the better health and well-being of people in Cornwall and–quite ambitiously–improve the Cornish economy through developing this sector. Its core is at the University of Plymouth with partners Creative England, Kernow Health CIC, Cornwall Partners in Care, and the Patients Association, with partial funding by the European Regional Development Fund.
Technologies can include: personal and clinical apps, activity/fitness trackers, telemedicine, therapy websites for cognitive behavior, sensor-based alarm and ADLs that can support people in hospital or with dementia. Robots like the humanoid Pepper from SoftBank are also within their scope.
Having started only in May, EPIC (not to be confused with the EHR) is still starting up for its three-year run. The website describes two ‘strands’ of work: the first organized around 10 working groups which are meeting through September (seven left) to identify problems and develop technology-based solutions. The second phase is to help the developers enter the market, when ready matching them with clinician and patient groups. The economic part is that these new Cornish companies supply not only Cornwall but also ‘export’ to the UK.
More information is available on their website or by emailing Katie Edwards at University of Plymouth. Hat tip to Susanne Woodman of BRE Group.
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