Health and emergency services network deployments increase by over 60%

LONDON — The number of health and emergency service organisations turning to advanced networking technology to drive efficiencies and collaboration has increased by 63%, according to ntl:Telewest Business, part of the Virgin Media Group. The number of networking deals increased from 98 in Q4 2008 to 160 in Q1 2009. Since the beginning of 2008, 657 deals have been signed as health and emergency services organisations across the UK have chosen ntl:Telewest Business’ fibre optic network

With the Department of Health being asked to contribute £2.3bn to the Treasury’s £5bn of public spending cuts in 2010–1, the pressure on the NHS to control spending and improve efficiency has significantly increased. Sharing information and services quickly, effectively and reliably across health and emergency service organisations is vital if these goals are to be met and high speed networks have an essential role to play, underpinning the successful delivery of information internally and externally.

"Staff in NHS trusts are faced with the challenge of making additional savings and delivering more value for every pound spent in a testing economic climate," said David Astley, Head of Health and Emergency Services at ntl:Telewest Business. "Our figures reveal that many organisations are taking steps to ensure that they have the basic technology building blocks and foundations in place to support the roll out of shared services and applications that will help deliver better clinical care, increase operational efficiencies and drive savings."

With high speed networks in place, medical staff can electronically share, securely integrate and access the patient information they require anywhere, at anytime. Whether in an operating theatre, at a patient’s bedside or in consulting rooms, a high speed network ensures healthcare professionals have fast and resilient access to centralised medical records and national applications such as the picture archiving and communications system (PACS).

"Healthcare technology has dramatically progressed in recent years and can help trusts avoid wasting valuable resources. For example, after more than a century of using hardcopy x-rays, PACs is available to all practitioners and more than 500 million images are now online. Clinicians have digital images at their fingertips, regardless of their geographic location, which speeds up diagnosis and helps save lives. In the future, we may even see high definition images of patients being sent via the network to Accident and Emergency departments ahead of their arrival so the specialist on call can decide what course of action to take," added Mr Astley.

ntl:Telewest Business has more than 15 years experience of providing next generation network technology to the public sector. Customers include Hounslow PCT and St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust.

Source: ntl:Telewest Business.