A Consett pensioner with kidney disease is one of four NHS patients at Sunderland Royal to have been given a online-enabled tablet to better monitor his health.
Arthur Carter is 70. He is looking forward, among other things, learning how to video call relatives who live abroad. From a medical perspective, he and the others on the groundbreaking programme will be able to access health information and stay in touch with their treatment team.
Arthur said: “It will make a massive difference, I’ve never had anything to do with digital before, I’ve still got a Nokia brick phone. Hopefully this will bring me into the modern age. I hope it will make a difference to my health, but now I need to learn how.”
The project is aimed at those who may not have easy access to internet-enabled devices – especially in areas facing huge health inequality. It has grown after Dr Mustafa Javaid and South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust clinical director Sid Ahmed worked together on a study which considered the “digital divide” patients faced.
Consultant Sam Duffy helped co-ordinate the content added to new renal medicine hub.on the trust website which patients like Arthur – and anyone else – can access. It contains a range of information about the trust’s service and the kidney health issues patients may encounter.
Arthur Carter, 70, from Consett, with Sunderland NHS clinical director Sid Ahmed and Dr Mennatalla Ayyad
(Image: NHS)
Dr Javaid said: “We hope the launch of the pilot will signal the start of a much bigger project to help our patients access information which will help them keep well, feel good and live longer. Education is such a key part of care for renal patients and we’re so pleased our Trust teams and all the organisations involved have been on board with this project.
“We are united in our ultimate goal of reducing health inequalities in our communities and we want to thank all those involved in making this work possible.”
This pilot project has been funded thanks to cash secured by the Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC) organisation, with support from the region’s Integrated Care Board, Ability Net, The Good Things Foundation and Sunderland City Council.
Leanne Maitland is a digital transformation project support officer for HI NENC. She said: “Without these digital essentials, vulnerable individuals risk being left behind, worsening existing health inequalities. To tackle this issue local organisations have come together to steer this pilot, giving patients the tools they need to access health services and information online.
“This pilot is part of a broader vision to create a regional public sector digital hub in the North East and North Cumbria.
“The hub aims to repurpose donated technology from public sector partners, reducing waste, supporting sustainability, and contributing to Net Zero goals. It’s a win-win initiative, improving healthcare access while promoting corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability.”
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