NEWS Development of chronic disease app NICON ANNUAL
Members of the public in Northern Ireland are being urged to have their say in the development of a revolutionary smartphone app that will transform how patients and healthcare professionals manage and treat chronic diseases.
As the leading cause of death across the globe, chronic diseases are long term conditions including respiratory disease, diabetes and heart disease. Computer science experts at Ulster University are developing new technology that aims to provide a baseline and post-treatment assessment of general health, allowing doctors to identify the effectiveness of chronic disease interventions.
The new Ulster University app will use smartphone sensors and an innovative prediction model to provide an overall assessment of the general health of chronic disease sufferers. General health is a measure of how much a person's daily life is affected by their health, for example how they are affected by fatigue, physical ailments, pain or by their emotions.
Lead researcher Dr Daniel Kelly from Ulster University said, "When treating patients with chronic conditions,
doctors need to know if the treatment resulted in improved general health for a patient. To really understand if a patient's health has improved, the doctor needs to know if the patient's quality of life has enhanced, for example do they have more energy? Can they do more activities? Doctors currently measure this using a health status questionnaire.
"Research shows that these questionnaires do not work on an individual basis, as they can be open to human error or patients providing an inaccurate account of how they really feel. This means the clinician receives a measurement of general health that doesn't truly reflect the patient.
"The new Ulster University app aims to remove the risk of inaccuracies by providing objective and individualised feedback to clinicians and patients. Doctors can use the information from the app to see changes in a person's daily life and evaluate benefit of any treatment the patient may have been prescribed.
"We are currently developing the app and are calling on the general public to get involved. Anyone with
an android phone can help with this research by downloading the app – you just need to take a short questionnaire and keep the app installed and running on your phone in the background for at least four days.
"All data uploaded by users will be completely anonymous and nothing will be shared from the app. The data will help us build a more accurate understanding of how behaviour and general health are linked. This will contribute to the development of the predictive model and ultimately help us develop a user-friendly app for chronic disease sufferers.
"Smartphones are non-invasive, have multiple sensors, powerful processors and are low cost, making them idea for a health measurement device. The impact Ulster University's app could be huge for patients suffering from chronic diseases helping Doctors to identify quickly and accurately what treatment is having the most positive effects."
The App is called "Health U: Fitness Tracker" and can be downloaded for free on Google Play by searching for Health U.
Detecting bowel cancer early saves lives
Pharmacists have the potential to play a greater role in the early detection of cancer.
Raising awareness and talking to patients about symptoms of bowel cancer really can save lives as it can result in earlier diagnosis and better treatment options.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) used Bowel Cancer Awareness Month (April) to encourage those eligible to use the free home bowel screening kits, and to raise awareness of the early signs and symptoms of the disease.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in Northern Ireland and over 400 people die from the disease each year.
However, early detection can make a real difference as to whether someone with bowel cancer survives.
Community pharmacists and their teams can assist men and women aged between 60 and 74 to avail of the opportunity to take part in the bowel cancer screening programme.
Those eligible for screening receive a test kit in the post. The kit is used to detect traces of blood in the bowel motion.
Most people who are tested will have no blood in their bowel motions and will be invited to repeat the screening test again in two years’ time.
If any blood is detected, this indicates that further tests need to be carried out.
Dr Tracy Owen, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the PHA, said, “Being asked to use the home screening kit for bowel cancer can be daunting and embarrassing, as no one likes to talk about their bowel motions, and collecting a sample isn’t the most pleasant thing to do.
“But, doing the screening test helps to find cancer at a very early stage before there are any symptoms. When detected at a very early stage, treatment for bowel cancer can be 90% successful.
“Many people may experience rectal bleeding or a change of bowel habit but it is important not to ignore such symptoms. While in many cases there will be a simple explanation, it is important to they are advised to seek advice.”
QUB School of Pharmacy No. 1 in the UK
The School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast has been named the Number 1 School of Pharmacy in the UK in the 2017 Complete University Guide rankings.
Speaking about this result, Professor Carmel Hughes, Professor of Primary Care Pharmacy and incoming Head of
School said, "Once again, the activities of School of Pharmacy have been recognised nationally, which is a tremendous testimony to all our staff and students.
“Our teaching and research are exemplary, and the student experience that we offer is second to none.”
CONFERENCE The Northern Ireland Confederation annual conference and exhibition will take place on 28-29th June 2016 at the La Mon Hotel, Belfast.
The event will see over 300 HSC leaders and partners consider the key issues and priorities for the future of health and social care.
Just weeks after May’s Northern Ireland Assembly Elections, this year’s event will focus on the key policy priorities outlined in NICON’s One Voice – ‘Time for Change’.
The conference will provide an opportunity to ensure that the key challenges and priorities, agreed by NICON members and partners in the NICON election briefing, will be embraced by the new government and put into practice.
As well as a range of expert speakers, the new Health Minister in the Department of Health will also speak at the event.
The event offers delegates the chance to: • Explore what the results of the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections will mean for the challenges and strategic priorities set out in the ‘One Voice – Time for Change’ election briefing;
• Hear from and engage with the newly elected Health Minister;
• Hear from an array of influential speakers about emerging local, national and international best practice;
• Network with leaders from every sector of the health and social care system in Northern Ireland.
Speakers will also include the Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell, Chair, NHS Confederation, Colm McKenna, Chair, NICON, Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, Public Health Agency, Julie Thompson, Director of Finance, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety Northern Ireland, Professor Keith Gardiner, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency and Elaine Way, Chief Executive, Western Health and Social Care Trust.
For further information/bookings, please contact
eventbookings@nhsconfed.org or on 0844 800 5987.
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