14 February 2012
UK SMEs working in the telehealth and telecare industry will soon gain a competitive commercial edge, as health technology industry specialist Medilink UK signs a formal concordat with the Department of Health to work together to accelerate adoption of the technology by the NHS.
Supported by Paul Burstow MP, minister of State for Care Services, the Concordat is an official commitment by the Department of Health to work with Medilink UK and other specialist trade associations to extend the reach of telehealth and telecare and improve the lives of many people with long term conditions and social care needs.
Working together to develop the national '3millionlives' campaign, the aim is to transform service delivery for people with long term conditions, and/or social care needs, by utilising telehealth and telecare within health and social care services. This will enable millions of people to receive the significant benefits evidenced in the UK's Whole System Demonstrator trials (the largest randomised control trial of telecare and telehealth in the world).
Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said: "UK industry will gain a competitive edge in a marketplace where many millions of people worldwide could benefit from this technology, helping to generate income and jobs in the UK. It is only by the telehealth industry working together with the Department of Health and other stakeholders, that this will be possible."
Medilink UK's Chairman Tony Davis added: "As well as the millions of lives that will be improved through this initiative, there are many Medilink members who stand to benefit hugely from the '3millionlives' campaign. As growing SMEs, they really want the doors to the NHS to be opened, and for healthcare professionals to be actively seeking telehealth and telecare solutions. By joining together, and by working with the Department of Health, they will be in the ideal position to take commercial advantage of the opportunities as they become available."
Medilink UK will be working with Telecare Services Association (TSA), the largest telecare and telehealth-specific industry body in Europe, representing over 340 organisations; Intellect, representing the IT sector; and the Association of British Healthcare Industries (ABHI), the industry association for the UK medical technology sector, as well as the Department of Health to progress the '3millionlives' campaign.
