News round-up (19 March)

Securing a positive health care technology legacy from COVID-19

A new report from the Health Foundation suggests that further work is needed to assess and develop health technology approaches before they are embedded in the NHS following the pandemic

The report explores the challenges of implementing health care technologies and investigates patient and staff experiences of technology during the first phase of the coronavirus pandemic. 

It says that because of the speed of implementation – including evaluation, co-design and customisation – many decision will need revisiting after the emergency phase of the pandemic is over.

Innovation call to address LGBT+ health inequalities

The AHSN Network and LGBT Foundation have joined forces to launch a nationwide call for innovations to help address health inequalities facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people, many of which have been exacerbated by COVID-19.

From MedTech and digital apps to changes in practice and new pathways, the Network is looking for innovations and innovative approaches that are already in use or in development.

Ground-breaking and inspiring examples of work in this area will be showcased in a report to be published later this year with the aim of sharing best practice 

The call for innovations closes on Monday 19 April 2021. Find out more here 

How will women’s health technology grow in 2021?

An article on the Tech HQ website says that the global market size for women’s health technology is estimated to reach over $60billion by 2027.

‘Femtech’ is a term given to products, software, and technologies that aim to improve women’s lives and it is an area expected to continue expanding.

Startups are bridging the gap left by major tech companies by introducing advanced products in digital assistance to women on fertility, period tracking, pregnancy, and reproductive system health care.

Chemotherapy-free treatment option to be offered to patients with England’s most common leukaemia

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reports that it has given the go ahead for the use of a new oral treatment for an incurable blood cancer.

Acalabrutinib, taken as a twice daily tablet, is recommended as an option for adults with untreated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

A 30-day pack of acalabrutinib capsules, also known as Calquence and developed by AstraZeneca, costs £5,059. 

The company has a confidential commercial arrangement which allows NHS organisations to access the drug at a discount

Google’s Nest Adds Sleep Tracking in New Health Tech Foray

Bloomberg News reports that Google’s Nest unit is expanding into health technology with a feature that tracks sleep patterns, offering a potential new revenue stream but also raising privacy concerns.

The company unveiled the second-generation model of its Nest Hub smart display. It comes with a function called Sleep Sensing that monitors the breathing and movement of a person sleeping next to the screen.

The system also detects disturbances such as coughing and snoring, along with light and temperature changes Over time it learns the user’s sleep patterns and gives personalised recommendations.