WIREDGOV

British and Commonwealth innovators come together to discuss the evolution of digital technologies to improve healthcare around the world. 

Over 70 delegates from across the UK and Commonwealth gathered at Healthcare UK’s Digital Health Forum to explore the continuing development of digital health around the world.

Be He@lthy, Be Mobile

The Digital Health Forum was the first opportunity for Public Health England, GSK and BUPA to discuss their involvement with the Be He@lthy Be Mobile programme.

GSK and Public Health England have joined established partner BUPA to contribute British expertise to this ground breaking initiative. This was established to fight chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in low and middle income countries.

Be He@lthy Be Mobile is led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It’s developing best practices and bringing them to scale for NCDs including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases.

Ramil Burden, Vice-President Developing Countries, GSK, said:

Mobile technology is playing an ever increasing part in helping communities across the globe access health information and services. We are exploring a number of ways to harness this potential and are pleased to support Be He@lthy, Be Mobile.

It is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a range of partners to help initiate and scale up innovative programmes that support health workers and patients alike.

Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of Health and Wellbeing at Public Health England, stressed:

At Public Health England, we have already seen the transformation brought about by mobile and digital health programmes.

I’m excited that the ‘Be He@lthy, Be Mobile’ initiative has managed to bring together so many key partners. We look forward to working together to support this progressive area within public health.

World renowned speakers lead the discussion

Forum chairman Baroness Neville Rolfe, Parliamentary Under Secretary State and Minister of Intellectual Property in the Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) introduced the event. She commented:

Across the Commonwealth, the enormous economic expansion of recent decades has brought huge challenges, notably the rise of non-communicable diseases, ageing populations and ever increasing patient expectations. We must aim to provide the same high quality care to those in sparsely populated regions as in urban centres.

Digital health, encompassing telehealth, e-health, m-health, and communications is one key to making progress.

International collaboration can ensure rapid dissemination of good ideas and multiply the benefits to mankind. This is why we are always looking for ways to link up what we do at home with our overseas partners. That is why we are here today.

Professor George Crooks, Medical Director of NHS 24 looked at the transformation of the NHS through the use of digital technology.

Paul Madden, Deputy Secretary and Chief Information Knowledge Officer from the Ministry of Health in Australia discussed the implementation of the national programme of personally controlled electronic health records, and the impact on healthcare in Australia.

Read Baroness Neville Rolf’s speech in full

To find out more about opportunities in digital health emailHealthcare UK

The Digital Health Forum was part of the UK Government’s British Business House events held in Glasgow during the Commonwealth Games and was sponsored by The Phoenix Partnership (TPP) of Leeds.