Shift one: Analogue to digital

Harnessing the power of data and digital offers immense potential in improving patient experience, increasing workforce efficiency and reducing the burden on healthcare systems. For example, use of remote monitoring can play a significant role in reducing face-to-face appointments and hospital admissions, supporting the NHS Net Zero ambitions through a reduction in carbon admissions.

But this is not just about access to better technology. Our focus is on supporting the successful development of digital solutions and data infrastructures, while ensuring we don’t increase health inequalities through digital exclusion.

We are a key partner helping to develop the South West Secure Data Environment (SDE), due to go live in summer 2025. The SDE provides an innovative and efficient approach to conducting research with millions of people’s health and care records, while maximising privacy and security. The goal is to enable research that’s faster, fairer and safer.

We are also helping to shape the regional digital health agenda as a partner in the LEAP Digital Health Hub, a programme funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council that aims to cultivate a multidisciplinary, digital health community in the South West of England and Wales.

In 2024-25 we began rolling out the HOME approach across the West of England as part of our Evidence into Practice programme. HOME offers a remote blood pressure monitoring service using a digital platform and home-based monitoring equipment. Read more in Shift two: Hospital to community.

We also supported Living Well with COPD, a pilot programme in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, providing digitally enabled care and remote monitoring to empower people with COPD to take control of their health. Read more in Shift two: Hospital to community.

100%

patient satisfaction in the Living Well with COPD pilot

34%

reduction in non-elective admissions through early intervention in the Living Well with COPD pilot

1,248

face-to-face appointments saved in a year by using the HOME approach at Great Western Hospitals

4

flights from London to Hong Kong – the equivalent reduction in carbon emissions in a year by using the HOME approach at Great Western Hospitals

Anya – support app for parents

Challenge

Despite evidence that babies and their mothers can benefit from breastfeeding, here in the UK we have some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world, with eight out of ten women stopping breastfeeding before they want to.

According to UNICEF, improving our breastfeeding rates would have a positive impact on child health. For example, increasing the number of breastfed babies could reduce common childhood illnesses, saving the NHS up to £50 million each year.

Approach

Anya is a pregnancy, parenting and breastfeeding support app that uses AI to provide parents and parents-to-be with vital 24/7 support on their parenting and breastfeeding journey. With our support and expertise, Anya has grown from an initial idea to a widely deployed product.

In 2024-25 we supported a real-world evaluation of Anya by Gloucestershire Local Maternity and Neonatal System, who funded 500 women in the more deprived areas of the county to use the premium version of the app to explore if it improved breastfeeding rates.

Result

Our evaluation found that Anya is a promising digital tool for breastfeeding support. As the NHS continues to embrace innovation to enhance maternity services, tools like Anya may help promote positive feeding experiences and increase the availability of support for breastfeeding, particularly during the critical early postnatal period. The full evaluation report will be published in 2025.

You can read more about our Anya evaluation here.

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