Monthly Archives: March 2013

Help for pensioners and carers who live in London

A winter warmer for pensioners and their carers

Friday, 25 January 2013

Victoria Borwick, Deputy Mayor and London Assembly member on our new campaign to make sure older Londoners get the benefits they’re entitled to. 

It is sad to think in these difficult times that many pensioners in London may be missing out on an extra £35 a week, or £1,800 a year in pension credits. That’s why we’re running a new campaign to raise awareness and remind older people that they are able to claim.

Police help family unpaid carers have a life

Borough carers centre boosted by £1k police cash

12:00pm Sunday 24th March 2013 in News

A BOROUGH care and respite centre has been boosted by a £1,000 donation by West Midlands Police.

Crossroads Care, based in the Pensnett Trading Estate provides free trained carer support and respite for disabled or sensory impaired borough residents, helping over 140 families every week with care facilities in their own home.

Telehealth costs more than conventional treatment

Budget for NHS cost-cutting scheme to triple

A cost-cutting government scheme to monitor millions of NHS patients remotely in their homes is three times more expensive than expected, and is unlikely to save the predicted £1.2 billion a year, a study has found.

a remote monitoring system transmit patient's blood oxygen levels to the local hospital

Eddie Beardsmore uses a remote monitoring system to transmit his blood oxygen levels to the local hospital Photo: JAY WILLIAMS

By Melanie Hall

One of the Coalition’s key health ambitions — to treat three million people with long-term conditions remotely — would cost £92,000 per patient, way above the £30,000 threshold set by the medical regulator, according to research published in the British Medical Journal.

The Department of Health has promoted the “telehealth” scheme, which would involve installing machines in patients’ homes to monitor their conditions and send results electronically to doctors, as a money-saving measure that also improves quality of life and reduces emergency hospital admissions, GP appointments and visits to accident and emergency departments.

However, a trial study of almost 1,000 patients already monitored in this way found that telehealth costs more than conventional treatment.