Hull Charity Hails Expansion Plans for Telehealth
A Hull health and social care charity has welcomed the findings of a Government study into Telehealth which shows that it can halve death rates and reduce pressure on hospitals.
Hull Churches Home from Hospital Service has been running a three-year pilot involving nearly 200 people in the city. Working with Consultant Cardiologist Professor John Cleland, the University of Hull, Hull City Council and the NHS, the Princes Avenue-based charity has been has been familiarising and supporting clients with the set–top boxes in users’ homes where clients can monitor blood pressure, weight and heart rate, with the results fed remotely to NHS staff.
An initial report by the Department of Health into Telehealth and pilots around the country have shown a 15% reduction in visits to A&E and a 45% cut in death rates. Now the Government is to roll out the technology to at least three million people with long-term conditions and social care needs, working with the NHS and hi-tech industries.
Ex-miner 72 year old John Geater from West Hull is a Telehealth user. He says: “I have a heart problem and suffered angina in 2009. I struggled to walk, but Telehealth has really reassured me and given me the independence I thought I couldn’t have. I know there is someone out there to help should my health start to fail again.”
Jean Templeton, founder and Chief Executive of Hull Churches Home from Hospital Service, says: “Our own research found that nearly 80% of the Telehealth users we surveyed felt less need to see a GP and almost all felt both less anxious and more in control of their long-term condition. We have also championed the personal touch service, with one-to-one contact should there be problems with the technology, rather than people having to ring a call centre.
“The Government’s “Three Million Lives” campaign is great news for patient care and we look forward to receiving more details from the Department of Health about the role that this unique Hull charity can play, based on our unrivalled experience.”
