Centre for Connected Health and Social Care

The Centre for Connected Health and Social Care has been established to promote improvements in patient care through the use of technology, and to fast track new products and innovation in the Health and Social Care system in Northern Ireland.

The primary purpose of the CCHSC is to improve the patient and client experience, and to provide better quality and more effective care. By supporting the more efficient delivery of services, it will also enable the healthcare system to respond better to the future needs of the population.

In addition to this, the CCHSC wishes to contribute to the advancement of the wider European e-health agenda and work with partners to secure economic gains for Northern Ireland through the development of the region as a centre for research, development and application of connected health technologies.

In August 2008, the CCHSC put out a tender for the provision of an end-to-end remote telemonitoring service in Northern Ireland (RTNI). The development of the RTNI service was initiated by the DHSSPS as part of a modernisation of services for patients/clients living with complex long-term conditions such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), diabetes and stroke. As required over time, the service will be applied to patients/clients with other conditions, including (but not limited to) cancer and neurological diseases, as well as with those receiving palliative care. It will also be applied to the provision of telecare services.

After a complex procurement process, the RTNI managed service contract was awarded on 16 March 2011 to TF3, a consortium comprising Tunstall, Fold and S3 Group.

For more information on Telemonitoring Northern Ireland please see www.telemonitoringni.info