Tag: NHS

Speeding up the diagnosis of deadly diseases

A boost in funding for artificial intelligence (AI) for the NHS

The Government is committed to saving more lives and detect up to three quarters of all cancers at an early stage by 2028. A £50 million funding investment has been made for work involving Digital Pathology and Imaging Artificial Intelligence Centres of Excellence with the aim to improve the diagnosis of diseases such as cancer.

The 3 centres identified to access a share of the funding include London, Coventry and Leeds, benefiting 26.5 million patients across the UK.

National Pathology Imaging Co-operative Director and Consultant Pathologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Darren Treanor said:

“This investment will allow us to use digital pathology to diagnose cancer at 21 NHS trusts in the north, serving a population of 6 million people. We will also build a national network spanning another 25 hospitals in England, allowing doctors to get expert second opinions in rare cancers, such as childhood tumours, more rapidly. This funding puts the NHS in a strong position to be a global leader in the use of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis of disease.”

To find out more click here.

Evidence updates

Recommendations for continued care and support of people who are clinically extremely vulnerable
Royal College of Physicians (RCP); 2020.
(Statement from the Royal College of Physicians, Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, National Voices and specialist societies highlighting the challenges faced by both doctors and patients in identifying and reducing the risks associated with COVID-19 for the most clinically vulnerable people.)

Expanding the primary care workforce in 2020/21 .
NHS England & NHS Improvement; 2020.
(Actions for CCGs, PCNs and STPs resulting from People Plan and Third phase of NHS response to covid-19.)

Reintroduction of NHS continuing healthcare.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2020.
(Sets out how clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will restart NHS continuing healthcare (CHC) assessment processes from 1 September 2020.Published 21 August 2020.)

Virtual training for midwives during a pandemic.
Abramson P. British Journal of Midwifery 2020;28(8):502–503.
(When a baby dies, it is a tragedy at any time but during the COVID-19 pandemic, bereaved families and the professionals supporting them have been faced with additional and often distressing challenges. Restrictions have made access to hospitals difficult for partners and other family members, while support services that would normally be provided for bereaved parents have been unavailable or severely limited.)

Ketamine as a mental health treatment: Are acute psychoactive effects associated with outcomes? A systematic review.
Grabski M. Behavioural Brain Research 2020;392:112629.
(The databases Medline, Embase and PsycInfo were searched. The studies reviewed displayed great variability in methodology and quality of reporting. The most commonly assessed effect was dissociation, measured by the CADSS. Our results suggest that the CADSS total is not consistently associated with antidepressant outcomes. Apart from this, the current literature is too limited to draw definite conclusions on an association between acute psychoactive effects and mental health outcomes.)


Face masks and dry eyes

The science and the solutions

With face masks becoming compulsory throughout the pandemic, most of us will be wearing face masks for extended periods of time. While they help to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, there has also been a rise of reports of dry, uncomfortable eyes, otherwise known as mask-associated dry eye (MADE).

MADE is caused by an ongoing imbalance in the tear film resulting in eyes feeling sore, dry and irritated, looking red, watering eyes or lead to dry eye disease. Face masks cause repeated evaporation, as the exhaled air will travel upwards to our eyes.

To prevent this from happening:

  • wear your mask appropriately
  • use lubricating drops
  • limit time in air conditioned rooms or windy conditions
  • take regular breaks from digital devices
  • DON’T rub your eyes if they become itchy

Masks will be here for the foreseeable future therefore we need to remain alert and promote good mask wear if we are to overcome this pandemic. To find out more or have your say click here.

The Postcard Project

Coronavirus is arguably the biggest challenge of this generation, causing loss and suffering to millions across the world. But the country stands united, despite global isolation on an unprecedented scale. Essential workers have put their own lives at risk to keep the country going and care for those who are suffering.

The postcard project has been set up to help document people’s first hand accounts of the Coronavirus pandemic. Read more about the project here.