NHS striving to keep pace with technology Modern technology is changing the landscape of our health services, as Wales makes the most of its talent for innovation, says

HEALTH CORRESPONDENT mark.smith@walesonline.co.uk

WALES is a nation of innovators and creative thinkers – and those qualities are particularly true when it comes to improving our health.

We only have to look at Tredegar-born politician Aneurin Bevan to realise how big an impact our small country has had in shaping the healthcare system we use today.

The Labour minister was the chief architect of the National Health Service, allowing people of all backgrounds to receive medical diagnosis and treatment free of charge.

And 70 years on from its establishment, its core values still hold strong.

But the NHS we are privileged to use today is far removed from the one people experienced in 1948.

Technology has become an integral part of our everyday lives and has revolutionised how we communicate with one another.

Thanks to the wonders of the internet, we only have to touch a button on our mobile phones or tablets to send text, videos and images across the other side of the world.

And as technology develops and changes the ways in which we live our lives, the NHS has striven to keep pace with these digital advancements.

NHS Wales’ Informatics Service aims to improve health and care in Wales by digitising medical information and put an end to paper records.

And thanks to collaborative working with universities and other partners, the NHS remains a breeding ground for innovative projects which aim to improve patient outcomes and make life easier for its staff.

So in this edition of Health Check Wales, we look at some of the latest equipment which is not only providing better and speedier treatments, but reducing the financial burden on the NHS at the same time.

We explore the fascinating advancements in 3D printing technology which can produce custom-made implants and limbs.

And we also look at how various medical devices and surgical procedures are benefiting patients who suffer from strokes, diabetes, as well as chronic lung and skin conditions.

But, on the flipside, it’s also important to acknowledge when technology goes wrong and when it can prove dangerous.

NSPCC Cymru’s Des Mannion explains how children can be kept safe when they are online, and patients with plastic mesh implants open up about the horrendous pain they have endured.

Technology has benefited our lives immeasurably and has made the world a more prosperous, informed place.

And it’s vital the NHS and the private sector keep pace with these advances so patients can feel the full benefit.