App tracks health progress
DOCTORS in Halton have teamed up with a tech firm to launch a computer programme for track ‘social prescribing’ when patients are given referrals for wellbeingboosting activities.
NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Elemental Software said the tool will allow medics to monitor residents’ progress.
A spokeswoman for the company it will improve the way social prescribing activity can be measured and provide evidence to show that non-clinical treatments work and that patients remain engaged.
The software was launched at the national Kings Fund Social Prescribing Conference.
Elemental Software was created last year by Jennifer Neff and Leeann Monk in response to work they were doing to improve health in Derry in Northern Ireland when the city’s confidence was surging after being awarded UK City Of Culture status.
Since its launch, the company has expanded from its base in Derry into Dubai for a project to reduce the risk of diabetes.
Its work in the UK includes its use of the Baby Box University to ● allow Halton CCG to provide young mothers with access to support and advice throughout pregnancy and afterwards.
This scheme will be assisted by a ‘virtual mammy’ which connect mums services linked to the Baby Box University.
Dr Cliff Richards MBE, former chairman and now cultural champion for NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group, and social prescribing lead for Cheshire and Merseyside, said: “The use of IT to ease access to and build the evidence base for effective social prescribing is absolutely needed.
“Halton CCG is delighted to be the first CCG in the UK to use Ele- mental’s social prescribing software in a new project to support families in the Halton area.”
Jennifer Neff, Elemental Software co-founder, said: “Measuring the impact of social prescribing and the difference that these sorts of programmes and services can make to improving health and wellbeing is vital to driving forward this healthcare approach in communities.
“We were delighted to have launched and demonstrated Elemental’s latest innovation through our software at the Kings Fund Conference, which will enable us to deliver improved reporting on the benefits of social prescribing.”