Members of the Norwegian party that visited Surrey. Click image to download
A party of local government officials from Norway have visited Surrey to learn how the county council is harnessing technology to help people manage serious health conditions.
The 30-strong group found out how Surrey has given 300 patients user-friendly electronic equipment to monitor their own long-term problems from home rather than visiting a hospital as often.
The news about the Epsom visit by social care and IT workers from municipalities including Arendal, Kristiansand, Froland and Grimstad came as Older People’s Day was marked across the country yesterday.
Mel Few, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “This programme is another way of helping people with serious conditions to monitor their health with expert support while also reducing their need to visit hospital, which spares them and the public purse.”
The programme, which is the largest of its kind in the country, uses money-saving technology, known as telehealth.
It involves using a tablet computer or smartphone with a passcode to check vital signs like blood oxygen levels and heart rate. The results are monitored by nurses but any significant changes will automatically raise an alert.
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