Minister measures health for Manchester’s digital health revolution

Academic, healthcare and business leaders have welcomed the minister to see how Manchester is leading the way in the digital health revolution.

Life Sciences Minister George Freeman will today open the new home to the Health eResearch Centre of the Farr Institute at the University of Manchester, creating a North of England hub for some of the world’s best digital and health research.

University building ManchesterVaughan House will be one of the leading venues in the country to develop new technologies that can empower patients to understand and take control over their own healthcare through smartphones, wearable devices and healthcare records.

From citizen science experiments such as www.cloudywithachanceofpain.com (arthritis and weather) to NHS-linked projects such as www.clintouch.com (mental health symptoms and medication), HeRC is helping to connect citizens, patients and care-services for better prevention and care through technology.

Academic, healthcare and business leaders have welcomed the minister to see how Manchester is leading the way in the digital health revolution.

George Freeman will also endorse Greater Manchester Academic Health Science Network’s DataWellproject at CityLabs. The project is linking data across different health care organisations to provide an innovative solution to improving both direct clinical care and how patients access information about their healthcare.  He will also see how the Manchester Science Partnership is building a new concentration of businesses at the junction of NHS and University sites to incubate growth in the digital health sector.

Life Sciences Minister George Freeman MP said: “It is fantastic to see Manchester playing a central role in developing new 21st century innovations, supported by our annual investment of £1bn through the National Institute for Health Research. By shifting the digital power to patients we are allowing them to monitor their own health through things like wearable devices and apps.

“The Academic Health Science Network is helping to drive forward the Northern Powerhouse in Manchester which is supporting the local needs of the health and social care services.”

Vast amounts of data are collected every day by health care organisations across Greater Manchester. Used together and responsibly, this is a mine of information which can improve public services, develop new treatments and save time and money

Professor Ian Greer, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences

Ian Greer, Vice-President and Dean of Medical and Human Science Faculty at The University of Manchester said:  “Vast amounts of data are collected every day by health care organisations across Greater Manchester. Used together and responsibly, this is a mine of information which can improve public services, develop new treatments and save time and money.

“Greater Manchester is a leader in this emerging field, so we were very happy that the minister is speaking to us and learn how what we are doing here can be applied further afield.”

 

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