Open Access News Health & Social Care News The adoption of new technologies in the NHS July 16, 2024 image: ©piranka | iStock Lorna Rothery spoke to Mark Ashton, Director of Transformational Programmes at NHS Shared Business Services, about how new technologies in the NHS are shaping healthcare delivery and the challenges that hinder their adoption How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact the adoption of new and emerging technologies in the NHS? COVID-19 forced the NHS to change the way it operates, with less face-to-face interaction and the introduction of new technologies such as telemedicine. It also prompted the NHS and the public to embrace new apps and digital health platforms. Personally, I used an oximeter to check my oxygen levels and also bought a blood pressure monitor.
People have had to accept the behavioural change in the way technology is now used, and while it may be a challenge for some older individuals, more and more people are starting to embrace it. In a strange way, COVID-19 drove this technological agenda forward. What is being done to ensure new digital tools are accessible to everyone, no matter their age? I’m 63, and I’ve grown accustomed to using smartphones and tablets.
For me, it’s second nature. However, for people in their late 70s, it may be more challenging. My own GP now requires appointments to be made online by filling out a smart form.
If the smart forms were made simpler and more intuitive, perhaps with AI helping people fill in certai.