Harrogate firm partners with NHS on new remote monitoring system for chemotherapy patients

Patients will be offered a new remote care service that monitors their progress and helps them manage symptoms at home.Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are effective treatments for cancer but can cause a range of unpleasant side effects, some of which need to be treated quickly.

Dr Amélie Harle, oncology consultant and clinical lead for the programme at NHS Dorset, said: “This innovative system designed by patients and oncology teams should provide patients with early advice at the onset of symptoms.

"This will empower a patient to safely manage milder symptoms at home or, when symptoms are more significant, to seek urgent advice from the acute oncology hotline service.”

Patients are supplied with devices such as blood pressure monitors and pulse oximeters and asked to submit regular observations for analysis.

If any readings fall out of range, clinicians are alerted.

Patients also complete a questionnaire about their symptoms three times a week.Oncology Monitoring @ Home uses Inhealthcare’s platform to connect patients with clinicians via a choice of communication channels including mobile app, website or automated telephone call.

It is being piloted at Poole Hospital ahead of potential rollout across Dorset.

Sheila Soper, a 74-year-old cancer patient from Dorset, said: “For me, the service is accessible, usable and I’d be grateful to receive it.”

Bryn Sage, chief executive of Inhealthcare, said: “Remote monitoring can enhance care, improve safety and increase quality of life for cancer patients.

"We’re delighted to be working with NHS Dorset which is using our tried-and-tested technology to help boost health outcomes.”

Last month, Inhealthcare announced that it had partnered wth NHS Scotland to develop and expand a range of remote monitoring systems for patients to use at home.

The NHS developed pathways for patients using Inhealthcare’s digital health platform.

The pathways, which include blood pressure monitoring and chronic pain management, are now part of NHS Scotland’s remote monitoring programme, titled Connect Me.