Telehealth rollout in Bristol

A Rise in the number of patients with long-term conditions has prompted NHS Bristol to invest in the deployment of a telehealth scheme. The PCT has signed a £1.4m contract with Safe Patient Systems for use of its Mobile Patient Care service, which will see 600 patients with heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease issued with smartphones loaded with a health application. They will use the phones to answer a questionnaire about their symptoms, which will then be sent to community workers who can determine if a home visit is required. Sian Jones, commissioning manager at NHS Bristol, said: "The challenge in Bristol, and in other parts of the UK - is that of an ageing population. We just felt that this was one way of trying to manage that."