Technology, health and work
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Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh facilitated group conversations with 22 residents of Wigan and Leigh. The report investigated people's knowledge of health and care related technologies, including telehealth, telemedicine, telerehab, and self-help apps. People's views on managing their own health independently and how technology could be part of the solution was investigated.
Overall, respondents found health and care related technologies very practical and useful. In particular , people have mixed understanding of the different health and care related technologies available to them; Health and care related technologies could be embedded in primary care, and would help patients to manage their health conditions more independently; Health and care related technologies could be beneficial for people with special needs (eg communication needs or physical disabilities). However, some respondents raised the following concerns about health and care related technologies: Some health and care related technologies may not be appropriate for people with ‘chaotic’ lifestyles or low tech knowledge or people with specific impairments; Some people see technologies as a threat to ‘traditional’ roles and relationships
with clinicians; Health and care related technologies are seen, in varying degrees, to rely on self motivation, which can very difficult to elicit or sustain; Generally people felt that health and care related technologies have the potential to support both people with long term health conditions and people who are carers to remain in work.
Healthwatch Wigan and Leigh recommended that all individual assessments, care plans and personal development plans should explore health and care related technology options. A TEC workstream should be added to local and GM activity on worklessness. This work stream could in the first instance explore the information and practical needs of employers with regards to TEC support with a view to developing campaigns and support for these kinds of approaches.