School RAAC scandal loops in NHS  The government has been consumed by the fall-out from the Department for Education’s decision to instruct schools not to use buildings where reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, or RAAC, is present just days before the start of the autumn term. The issue has raised questions about where else RAAC may have been used, which includes the NHS, where five hospitals with RAAC panels were recently added to the 40 New Hospitals Programme. The Independent reported that NHS England has ordered an urgent review of all NHS buildings, and the Guardian reported that affected trusts have been told to draw up evacuation plans.

Labour unveils new health team  Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer reshuffled his shadow cabinet this week and announced a new health and social care team. Wes Streeting, who is widely regarded as being on the right of the party, remains shadow health and social care secretary, but he has been given a deputy, who will lead on NHS reform. The new appointment is Karin Smyth, a former NHS manager who worked in Bristol. The rest of the team includes shadow ministers for women’s health and mental health, primary care and public health, and social care (Health Service Journal round-up).

Public health news: about vaccines and downstream interventions on cold and mouldy homes  The NHS flu-vaccine and Covid-booster programme has been brought forward because of the impact of a new Covid-19 variant (NHS England). The NHS is also going to make another 900,000 people eligible for a shingles vaccination. A scheme that paid the heating bills of some NHS patients last winter has indicated that they needed fewer out of hours services and prescriptions (BBC News). And a study by the think-tank Demos has estimated that fixing damp and mouldy homes could save the NHS £1 billion a year, while generating £19 billion in health benefits - for a cost of £4.8 billion (The Mirror).

EPR news: Royal Cornwall Hospitals picks Oracle Health EPR; Derby and Burton appoints a CCIO ahead of EPR procurement  The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust has announced that it is going to develop an electronic patient record with Oracle Health, using its Cerner Millennium platform. The Health Tech Newspaper reported that the trust is at the design, development and testing phase for the EPR, and hopes to go-live in Spring 2025. University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust has appointed a new chief clinical information officer and deputy medical director for digital and data. Dr Nitin Kolhe has been appointed ahead of a trust EPR procurement (HTN).

Health tech news involving: System C/Graphnet, Aire Logic, BT, Infinity Health and DrDoctor  NHS England has cancelled the contract with System C/Graphet for the National Immunisation Management Service. A contract to support this year’s flu and Covid-19 vaccination programme has gone to Aire Logic (digitalhealth.net). BT has launched a new AI and digital services in diagnostics offer, working with deepc and AXON Diagnostics, which provide workflow for radiology and pathology reporting (digitalhealth.net). Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has reported that it has avoided 29,000 unnecessary appointments in a year by running a patient initiated follow-up or PIFU solution from Infinity Health and DrDoctor (Health Tech World).

Company developments: NHSE COO joins Doccla; Accenture acquires Nautilus Consulting  NHS England’s former chief operating officer, Sir David Sloman, has joined the virtual ward firm Doccla. Sir David drove the development of virtual wards during the Covid-19 pandemic. He left the national commissioning board at the end of August (Health Service Journal). Global professional services company Accenture has announced that it has acquired UK healthcare consultancy Nautilus Consulting, which is known for its expertise in the procurement and implementation of Oracle Health’s Cerner Millennium platform. Accenture said the move would help it to become the leading healthcare transformation partner of choice (Health Tech Newspaper).

WiFi SPARK’s healthcare arm becomes SPARK TSL WiFi SPARK’s healthcare arm has rebranded as SPARK Technology Services. The new identity marks the completion of the integration of the former Hospedia bedside unit business and the development of a new vision for the NHS. The company wants to shift the provision of patient communication, entertainment and information services away from the ‘patient pays’ model and develop an app store with technology that saves time and money for clinicians and trusts (HEJ). The new branding and vision will be on show at this year’s Healthcare Excellence Through Technology show at ExCeL London from 26-27 September.    Highland Marketing will also be at HETT. To find out about our dedicated health tech PR, marketing and sales acceleration services, get in touch to meet us there!