Retirement Living HOME IS WHERE THE HEART CARE IS
People with heart disease are being offered the chance to try a technological solution that will help them manage their conditions from home and avoid frequent hospital visits
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doing that, particularly in lowering waiting times. “We want to build on the advances made in digital technology since the beginning of the pandemic, but we need to understand how easy or difficult it is for people to use the application, which is what this pilot is all about,” says Viki Jenkins, heart failure advanced nurse practitioner at BCUHB. “Covid-19 has shown us we have to embrace innovation like this.” As part of the trial, patients will receive equipment to take readings, including a blood pressure cuff, weighing scales and a pulse oximeter. If needed, hospital visits can be arranged for further treatment and consultation. Helen Northmore, head of Doctors can review information digital and artificial intelligence at Life Sciences Hub Wales, believes the Huma app is an example of how technology will play an even bigger role in patient care in the future. “The traditional pathway is for “We have cardiac patients to regularly attend a hospital appointment to embrace and have these readings taken,” she says. “This application will free up clinicians’ time so they can be there for patients innovation who need them more urgently, and it also saves the patient like this” from having to travel and wait at the hospital to be seen.” For more information, visit www.huma.com.
trial is under way among cardiac patients in north Wales to test innovative technology that allows clinicians to monitor patients’ health and recovery via mobile phone. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) has teamed up with medical tech company Huma to assess whether people with heart problems can be supported in their homes using an app that reports on their condition. Huma’s application allows people to Monitor health at home record their symptoms and vital signs, such as weight and blood pressure. This can then be reviewed by a clinician and fed back to the patient to record progress and any concerns, which means changes in the patient’s health or response to medication could be identified sooner. The technology also allows patients to have consultations by video, helping to avoid unnecessary visits to clinics or hospitals. The pilot programme has been funded by the Welsh government.
Help yourself
The Welsh government’s Help Us, Help You campaign is encouraging people to use a range of services to alleviate pressure on the NHS, and it believes this cutting-edge solution is one way of
Bright future for care home
A popular care home near Shrewsbury has secured new financial backing to give its residents peace of mind
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icarage Nursing Home is a 50-bed specialist dementia care facility located in Bayston Hill, near Shrewsbury, and has been owned and successfully operated by the Ephraims family since 2003. But times have been hard for the industry recently and the owners knew a new financial plan was needed to ensure the home thrived. Thanks to Cynergy Bank, they have now been able to consolidate existing loans into a £2.35m CBILS term loan, with a £165,000 overdraft facility allowing them to reorganise their finances, purchase the freehold of the nursing home and invest in the business. Recognising the significant The owners secured a CBILS loan disruption Covid-19 has caused
to the healthcare sector, the government guarantees CBILS loans Vicarage Nursing Home, Shrewsbury for six years, and Cynergy Bank was able to offer flexible terms and interest rates. It has provided both a significant cost saving to the company and funding to support further capital expenditure plans. Roger, Margaret and James Ephraims, the home’s owners, says: “Recognising the uncertainty in the current climate, particularly within our sector, it has been refreshing to work with Satyen Shingadia of Cynergy Bank to achieve the refinance and acquisition package to support our strategy. We look forward to working with the bank on our future projects.” Visit www.vicaragenursing.co.uk.
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