My name is Rachael and I’m the Digital Health Lead at the hospice, which I’m sure will have most people asking ‘what is that?’  Digital health is a way of looking at and managing health care using technology in some way, and it can cover a whole range of things such as:

• using a phone or tablet to access useful apps such for meditation/relaxation, or the NHS app
• having a video consultation with a clinician
• using wearable devices like a smart watch (e.g. fitbit / garmin) to understand your own health data and activity
• using virtual reality to help people travel or achieve bucket list experiences that they aren’t able to manage in real life
• managing electronic patient record systems where notes are input and stored
• looking at new and emerging technology like AI and how that might be used to patient and staff benefit
• thinking about digital legacy – what happens to your online accounts if you’re not able to access them yourself any more and putting a plan in place

Honestly, the list could go on and on! My main purpose is to help patients and their support network (friends/family members), as well as our hospice teams, to gain confidence with technology so that they can use it in the best way for them. And to empower them to use devices, apps, and online resources to feel more in control of their own health care and data.

This doesn’t have to be anything too technical or need any special skills, it could mean helping someone to download a puzzle app onto their phone to help them relax; or to show them how to put in a repeat prescription to their GP surgery using the NHS app. I’m definitely no expert but I am nosey and like to know how things work so if I don’t know something, I’ll be looking it up and trying to figure it out. Technology keeps evolving and quickly, so it’s difficult to keep up but I’m here to support people with this ever changing area.

To help more people to be able to access health care services online I am starting a Digital drop-in once a month.   I will be in The Street Cafe at the hospice on the first Wednesday of every month, between 9am and 10.30am to answer your questions, help you set up your phone, tablet or laptop and show you how to use it.

There is no need to book, just drop in.