The government has announced funding to support the development of 18 innovative digital solutions to support people who need to stay at home as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, or who will need other help in the community for an extended period. The digital solutions are being tested over a 3 week period to find out how and whether they could usefully be widely deployed. A number of these digital solutions could prove extremely helpful to our Rare Disease Community.
You can read the press release in full here.
For young people:
Neurolove.org, a platform providing a friendly ear and human support for young people to help them to keep virtually social and safe online. Young people can book sessions directly with mentors and therapists and find content that will support them to manage their emotional and mental health in this current period of uncertainty.
For parents:
Peppy helps parents-to-be and new parents remotely access trusted, convenient advice from perinatal and mental health experts. This includes remote support via phone/video with lactation consultants, baby sleep consultants, specialist mental health support and more.
Volunteering:
TeamKinetic’s digital platform helps organisations better manage community-led volunteer programmes. The solution helps manage recruitment and retention of volunteers, as well as monitoring the impact of these programmes in real time.
Peopletoo and Novoville have been selected to launch a volunteering app to fast track volunteers into clinical and non-clinical roles to support the fight against Covid-19. It will enable local authorities to quickly identify and assess capable volunteers in the local community to fill key roles to support social care during the crisis.
SureCert is a digital platform that connects people with job and volunteering opportunities. The system manages background checks and can provide information about successful placements in order to enable policy makers to better understand the labour market and volunteering supply and demand.
For patients:
Ampersand Health’s self-management apps help people with long term, immune mediated diseases live happier and healthier lives.
Aparito uses remote monitoring technology (videos, wearables, photos and text) to gather patient-generated data outside of hospital. This is focused on patients with rare diseases. Data is captured and transferred via the patient’s own smartphone / tablet and made available to clinicians or researchers in real-time to help avoid direct contact during the Covid-19 crisis.
Virti aims to make experiential education affordable and accessible for everyone. Virtual and augmented reality, coupled with AI, transports users into difficult to access environments. The system can be used for training and patient education.
For home care, social care and older patients:
Birdie provides a digital platform for home care agencies to better manage the care they provide. Through an easy to use app, care workers capture daily visit logs, and a central hub allows staff to track real-time information. Family members receive live and daily safety and well-being updates through the app.
Buddi Connect is a smartphone app, enabling people to stay in touch with those they care for. Safe groups of connections are united through the app to share private, secure messages and raise instant alerts when help is needed. Important messages from the NHS can be shared directly to users.
For those with learning disabilities:
Just Checking supplies activity monitoring systems, used by local authorities to help with assessment of older people in their homes, for social care. Sensors pick up activities of daily living and display the data in a 24-hour chart. The company also has a second, more sophisticated activity monitoring system, to help manage the care and support of adults with learning disabilities.
RIX Research & Media, University of East London
The RIX Multi Me toolkit provides highly accessible and secure social networking that serves as a support network for people with learning disabilities and mental health challenges. It helps them self-manage their care and actively limit the impact and spread of Covid-19 infection.