NEWS
VODAFONE UK SUPPORTS NHS TRUST TO IMPROVE
COMMUNITY CARE Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has been working with Vodafone to implement a mobile working solution to help improve the efficiency and quality of patient care in the community.
The selection of Vodafone’s mobile technology is expected to enable each of the 400 community nursing staff to visit more patients every week across all seven localities in the county.
Vodafone’s total mobility platform – which includes TotalMobile’s mobile working solution – is enabling the community teams to securely access and update patient records, and
ARTS AND CRAFTS COULD DELAY MEMORY PROBLEMS
A study published in the American Academy of Neurology journal highlights that those who participate in arts, crafts, computer use and social activities can reduce the risk of developing Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) – a condition that in some cases leads on to dementia.
The study involved 256 people with an average age of 87 who were free of memory and thinking problems at the start of the study. After an average of four years, 121 people developed mild cognitive impairment.
Participants who engaged in arts in both middle and old age were
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73% less likely to develop MCI than those who did not report engaging in artistic activities. Those who crafted in middle and old age were 45% less likely to develop MCI.
Socialising in middle and old age also appeared to stave off MCI, with sociable people 55% less likely to
review policies and critical data from their mobile devices in the field.
The new system also allows staff to make informed decisions in real time and talk their patients through treatment plans and equipment using visual aids on their mobile devices. They no longer have to travel to and from the office to access their daily rotas and update patient records between appointments. As a result, they are able to make up to two additional patient visits each day.
“While increasing efficiency is important, allowing our nurses to give the best possible patient care is our focus,” said Graham Softley, Associate IT Director for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. “Vodafone’s software solution has enabled us to provide a reliable, secure system to support our community staff. Regardless of their technical ability or knowledge, they are now able to access key information while visiting
patients in the community or their own homes.”
“As well as allowing us to create a more sustainable, paper- free system, this technology is supporting a closer working relationship between our teams in the community and those working at our hospitals,” said Carolyn Morrice, Chief Nurse and Director of Patient Care Standards for Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. “We strive to provide safe and compassionate care, every time for our patients and we believe that this investment will help us to achieve that goal.”
Vodafone is working in partnership with TotalMobile Limited to deliver the new system which is being funded by a grant from the Nursing Technology Fund – an initiative announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2012 to support nurses, midwives and health visitors to make better use of digital technology.
develop the condition. Computer use in later life was associated with a 53% reduced risk of MCI.
In response to the findings, Dr Clare Walton, Research Manager at Alzheimer’s Society, commented: “Although this study looks at mild cognitive impairment rather than dementia, it does add to previous evidence that keeping your brain active during life with arts, crafts and social activities might reduce the risk of developing memory problems.”
However, Dr Walton added that more research is needed to determine whether regular computer use has any long-term effects on memory.
She concluded: “Alzheimer’s Society has long promoted the benefits of arts, crafts and social interaction as a way to help people with dementia live well and reduce loneliness. However, it is too early to say whether these activities done regularly throughout life can help keep dementia at bay.”
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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