Pictured above: Rob Chesters
The steps towards embracing technology to integrate key building
functions through collaboration across the NHS, end users and
industry, were debated by a panel of experts at a recent Modern
Built Environment workshop event, organised by Alvolution, a
division of MedilinkWM.
The workshop was funded by the Health Tech & Medicines
Knowledge Transfer Network as part of the Assisted Living Special
Interest Group.
"With the UK's increasingly aging population, comes the
challenge of designing a new build housing stock and improving
existing properties to enable residents to stay in their home for
longer in order to ease the pressure on hospital wards and doctors
surgeries," explained Rob Chesters, manager of Alvolution, which is
dedicated to the assisted living segment of the UK healthcare
market.
"Cross sector collaborations can benefit the current demand for
good quality housing and represent the initial steps towards
agreeing a model for implementing assisted living design."
Mike Perry of BRE (Building Research Establishment) explained
the digital infrastructure in the built environment and the
so-called 'transmission medium' are being used to deliver assisted
living digital services:
"We are at the start of the application of internet protocol
technologies to the built environment. These 'connected buildings'
have the potential for real environmental benefits and for public
services, the use of telecare and Telehealth technologies has a
pivotal role to play in the assisted living sector. With nearly 12
million pensioners currently living in the UK and long term health
conditions accounting for 69 percent of the primary and acute care
budget in England alone, key building functions such as lighting,
access and energy can utilise the communications revolution as part
of the era of smart homes."
Rob Chesters added: "The benefits of collaboration across the
NHS, social care, academia, end users and industry are becoming
clear. Traditionally, they have existed in silos, which has
resulted in products and services which are not fit for purpose and
inefficiencies. Strong collaboration can link the requirements of
users and service providers with the technical capabilities of
industry to enable independent living and home-based healthcare and
support by utilising telecare, Telehealth and telemedicine to
relieve the growing pressure on acute NHS systems."
Kevin Doughty, Centre for Usable Home Technology at the
University of York added: "Supporting the home carer should be a
priority. The UK has more than seven million people providing
unpaid care to relatives, neighbours or friends. A quarter of these
each provide more than fifty hours of care each week, and the value
of the care they provide is £87 billion each year - more than
the entire cost of the NHS."