Speaking at an Age UK conference, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced the roll out of telehealth as a way of giving people with long-term conditions control over their own care.
This announcement follows the launch this week of the NHS Mandate, which highlighted the goal of three million people being able to benefit from telehealth by 2017.
Telehealth is the use of electronic information and technology to help people manage their health independently, reducing the need to go to the doctor or hospital.
David Nicholson, chief executive of the NHS Commissioning Board, said: “The seven pathfinders … will give the NHS Commissioning Board important insight into how best to extend this option to any patient managing prolonged ill health or a chronic condition. Working closely with the local commissioners involved and informed by their experience, we plan to promote vigorously the use of telehealth across England from next April.”
The seven pathfinders are:
- Worcestershire (three CCGs and Worcestershire County Council)
- NHS Merseyside
- North Yorkshire & York and Humber PCT Cluster (will involved the CCGs as they develop)
- NHS South Yorkshire & Bassetlaw (Sheffield, Barnsley Rotherham Doncaster and Bassetlaw PCTs but will include CCGs as they develop)
- Kernow CCG and Cornwall & Isles of Scilly PCT
- NHS Kent & Medway (eight Kent CCGs, Kent Community Health Trust and Medway Unitary Authority)
- Camden CCG (with UCL Partners).
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