National awards to improve cancer treatment and use of digital technologies for Trust patients
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust patients are set to benefit from two national investment programmes announced today by NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens. As part of the Five Year Forward View Delivery plan, the Trust will be supported in bringing in two state-of-the-art radiotherapy machines to improve treatment for patients with cancer and is to become a global digital exemplar to accelerate our use of digital technology for healthcare.
New radiotherapy machines
The Trust provides radiotherapy, the second most common treatment for cancer, for around 2,000 patients each year. It is planning to replace and upgrade two of its six linear accelerators (Linacs), located at Charing Cross Hospital. These are machines used for external beam radiation treatments. The Trust also routinely delivers highly specialist radiotherapy treatment, called stereotactic radiotherapy, and this new equipment will ensure even more targeted and personalised radiotherapy for patients.
Dr Danielle Power, radiotherapy clinical lead, at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “This is great news for the Trust and our patients. The replacement of the current equipment with the very latest technologically advanced equipment will make a real difference.
“Radiotherapy is an integral part of cancer treatment and Linacs are a key piece of equipment. The new machines will help us to maintain excellent world class outcomes for our patients.”
The first machine is planned to be ready for use in the hospital later this year or early 2018.
Speedier uptake of digital technology
The Trust, in partnership with Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has also been selected to be one of the first 16 global digital exemplars for acute care.
Our joint application with Chelsea and Westminster put the shared electronic patient record system at the heart of our plan for global digital excellence. Our bid also included commitments to record sharing to support integrated care and patient engagement, development of healthcare apps which will securely connect to the patient record, and technology to support population health.
Chief information officer for Imperial College Healthcare and Chelsea and Westminster Kevin Jarrold said: “This award is recognition of the huge commitment across our organisations to ensure our patients get the same, potentially huge, benefits from advances in digital technology that we’ve seen in other sectors.”
As a global digital exemplar the Trust will be an internationally recognised NHS care provider delivering exceptional care and will receive funding and support to drive forward the use of digital technology in healthcare and create products and approaches that can be used by other organisations.
