Smart watches on the NHS for some says Streeting.

I think I have enough faith in human nature to believe that people will use a smart watch for their advantage so I don't agree with the OP's opinion at all. Technology can be a useful tool for monitoring conditions so it is worth considering. Let's wait for the outcome of the consultation before hastily dismissing the idea as a waste of money.

I am trialling a watch for a friend that records oxygen sats, breaths per minute, temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, sleep patterns and step count. It is linked to my phone which can display graphs for performance of each of these on a daily basis. Issues warning alerts if any if the readings go above or below reading levels which I have preset. I was very careful to ensure the data is very securely protected by the company. But the plan is to use them for virtual wards, where a nurse can check the readings of patients in their homes, where they would otherwise have to remain in hospital, taking up a bed.

Everyone is concerned about their health, and being able to understand what your body is doing is reassuring. I find it very useful as I have dreadful white coat hypertension, and I can just show my GP the minimum, maximum, and average BP on my phone, not just for the actual day, but going back weeks, she gets very excited! 😀

These will be used more and more, just as some care will be provided in homes and nursing homes by robots, we don't have enough humans to care for the aging population. There is good technology and there is worrying technology, but this is definitely good. Though at £500 each, providing too many will plunge the NHS further into debt. It needs to concentrate on getting all hospital notes available electronically first, no more time wasted on lost notes. And more care needs to be taken on data security, I find it incredibly worrying that we are allowing the Amercan firm Palantir to run the federated data platform that will hold all English hospital (and later GP) records.

However GPs

Ignore the last truncated paragraph, not sure what happened there! 🙂

My watch does most of the things you mention, B9Exchange. It doesn't record BP or temperature, but does all the rest, and warns me when things are untypical. When this happens I usually know why, so find it reliable. I have checked the SATS against a fingertip monitor too, and they always give the same result.

GrannyGravy13

Just had a quick look on Amazon, the cheapest smart watch is £17.99.

I hope that Wes Streeting is looking at this end of the market and not Apple smart watch as the newest model is £399.

You would not need an Apple Watch if it was only for health monitoring. We have them and use them for lots of other things, messaging, phone calls, payments in shops, weather, alarms, timers, walkie talkie, phone calls, recording workouts and even telling the time. 😊 That is our choice.
A simple monitoring device for a particular illness would be much cheaper than that.

ex-dancer. Really?

Mamie I do know how an Apple watch works, mine is in the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

I prefer a traditional watch.

GrannyGravy13

Mamie I do know how an Apple watch works, mine is in the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

I prefer a traditional watch.

I guess it depends on circumstances. Caring for a seriously ill husband for two years; ours have been invaluable.

I only have a Fitbit, an apple is way out of my budget, your Apple in the drawer is a terrible waste GG.

silverlining48

I only have a Fitbit, an apple is way out of my budget, your Apple in the drawer is a terrible waste GG.

Totally agree, it will probably go to one of the GC any time now.

Mamie

GrannyGravy13

Mamie I do know how an Apple watch works, mine is in the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

I prefer a traditional watch.

I guess it depends on circumstances. Caring for a seriously ill husband for two years; ours have been invaluable.

I agree. I got mine when I was having tests for various respiratory conditions. The consultant was keen to know how things were going between appointments, so he could tweak inhalers and so on.

I also agree that there is no need for the fancier ones unless you like that sort of thing (I do). For purely medicinal purposes a much more basic one will be fine, and if NHS ones catch on, they will become even cheaper when bought in bulk.

I don't think this is policy yet though?

No, it's being discussed. Actually a case where it's quite useful to announce "its under discussion" to get public and professional feedback.

Just avoid the headlines that suggest shock horror millions being handed out....

Wyllow3

No, it's being discussed. Actually a case where it's quite useful to announce "its under discussion" to get public and professional feedback.

Just avoid the headlines that suggest shock horror millions being handed out....

Well it should stop being "discussed". Its a ridiculous idea, more tax payers money spaffed up the wall by this nanny state socialist Government. The same as weight loss jabs for all those people , who perhaps need more input as to why they are overweight, and really help to lose it, and you know, some personal responsibility.
Yet they condem some pensioners to freeze.

I hope we will be able to get cgms on the nhs!

Freya5

Wyllow3

No, it's being discussed. Actually a case where it's quite useful to announce "its under discussion" to get public and professional feedback.

Just avoid the headlines that suggest shock horror millions being handed out....

Well it should stop being "discussed". Its a ridiculous idea, more tax payers money spaffed up the wall by this nanny state socialist Government. The same as weight loss jabs for all those people , who perhaps need more input as to why they are overweight, and really help to lose it, and you know, some personal responsibility.
Yet they condem some pensioners to freeze.

Bit of a mixed message?

You mention "need more input and really help to lose it". Well the proper input and help takes time and money and is part of what you call the nanny state.

But the end aim is to make the nation healthier and able to better work and function and take that very personal responsibility you call for.

Don’t have to ask who you vote for Freya5 🤣🤣🤣

I think the help that has happened for diabetic patients by the use of computerised ‘buttons’ is fantastic and probably saved my friends life Mrs May would attest to that I m sure
At the moment I m on the fence as it all depends what they are used for, for certain illnesses it could be a very helpful Hopefully working along with the GP and not instead of
My concern is that people could get immersed in their health and every little change and perhaps worry the GP more not less I think my curiosity would have me checking all the time 🤣

Well I think it sounds a fantastic idea. Obviously there's no fine detail at all at the moment, but I'm all for it. On the back of this post, I'm going to take a look for any fitbit or smart phones that could be useful to DH and me.

It’s obvious that a lot of people don’t have experience of this in action already, because for those who can afford to purchase their own smart watch or other device, they are already a mainstream part of the operation of clinical services to patients in many areas of medicine.
I wonder whether a fear of technology or a lack of understanding of the potential and the limitations in their use is what is making people sceptical? I’m not sure whether Freya5 you realise that they are capable of measuring core body temperature, for example, which would provide early warning of hypothermia? Health monitoring through technology is the future, and we should be embracing it in my opinion, because by the time we are very elderly, that’s going to be the norm.

Casdon

It’s obvious that a lot of people don’t have experience of this in action already, because for those who can afford to purchase their own smart watch or other device, they are already a mainstream part of the operation of clinical services to patients in many areas of medicine.
I wonder whether a fear of technology or a lack of understanding of the potential and the limitations in their use is what is making people sceptical? I’m not sure whether Freya5 you realise that they are capable of measuring core body temperature, for example, which would provide early warning of hypothermia? Health monitoring through technology is the future, and we should be embracing it in my opinion, because by the time we are very elderly, that’s going to be the norm.

Indeed.

We're very elderly -- it is our norm.

Embracing good in technology is wise, imo.

Just another gimmick so they look as though they are doing something. My husband and daughter have had Fit Bits since they came out. I am not interested. I would rather see a GP.

I love my Fitbit Charge 6 and Kardia Mobile. I have had a bad year with heart palpitations and three very bad and frightening episodes, but only Supraventricular Tachycardia and ectopics could be caught on an ECG at the surgery and on the NHS Zio Heart Monitor I wore for a fortnight. I didn't have a bad episode while wearing the Zio.

One GP suggested buying my own heart monitor which I thought would cost the earth. I joined an SVT online support group and also an A.Fib group, and learnt about the Kardia Mobile which I bought for £89 and was able to do my own ECG when I had the next terrifying episode from which I was able to get a diagnosis of Atrial Fib and to be prescribed a beta blocker and an anticoagulant.

I then bought the Fitbit on an Amazon Sale Day and now I can track my heart rate, sleep patterns, etc .... all the things mentioned by others above. It gives me reassurance.

Yes, Lisaangel10, We would all rather see a GP but certainly at my surgery this could take 3 weeks and it would be a million-to-one chance I would have a heart episode during my 10 minute appointment.

PS. ..... and the Fitbit notified me when my heart rate sank too low during the night which I reported to my GP and he reduced my meds. I hadn't actually felt anything when my heart rate went that low although I was incredibly tired the following morning.

Surely it’s better for people who need it to have a warning? Apart from the worst outcome, a sudden heart or breathing problem involves, paramedics, ambulances, A & E and possibly a hospital bed.
My DH has no problems, but always wears his Apple Watch, some friends are no long with us due to SCA.
Mind you don’t chop wood wearing one, all the warnings went off!

My husband was sent on an nhs cardiac rehabilitation course following a heart procedure and was loaned a sports watch. It made it easier to train at the correct level ( keeping his heart rate within safe but useful parameters) to-aid his recovery. The results could be downloaded to the rehab team. He had to return the watch after completing the course ready for the next borrower, but found it so useful he bought a similar sports watch. This was surprising as he had never worn a watch prior to his cardiac problems.

I have a smart watch an Apple one.It helped to save my life two years ago by alerting me to a sudden raising of my heart rate.My heart was suddenly going at 130 BPM while I was sitting down at rest.I became aware of it thumping and also became very short of breath.As I have COPD I thought this was a very bad flare up.I have an oximeter so put that on and my blood oxygen was 70 per cent.The normal level for me is 94%
I then became aware of a pain in my right chest extending to the back.My nursing experience kicked then and I knew this was symptoms of Pulmonary Embolus (blood clot on the lung)
I was alone in the house so rang for a taxi to get me to hospital as an ambulance in this present time would be too late
I got to hospital in 10 minutes just in time as my symptoms were worsening.My self diagnosis was right.I had a large clot in my right lung which was making it's way across to the left one.
I spent four days in hospital and am now on blood thinners for the rest of my life.
Thankyou smart watch
I must add ,before I scare anyone, that I have since been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer which puts you at risk of sudden blood clots.This was most likely the cause of the Pulmonary Embolus.