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Long Term Neurological Conditions
Delivering inclusive HealthTech that improves the independence, good mental health and equitable access of people with neurological conditions.
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CognoSpeak: an AI tool to facilitate early diagnosis of dementia
Early and accurate detection of cognitive difficulties and dementia remains a significant challenge in healthcare. Traditional methods often rely on subjective assessments and late-stage diagnosis, delaying critical interventions and support for patients.
Key Aims:
CognoSpeak is a computerised doctor that asks the patient questions regarding their health, similar to those currently used by clinicians in memory clinics. The answers are analysed by a computer program to look for changes in speech patterns due to memory problems and/or mood. Recognizing concerns about the usability, acceptability, and potential bias of AI, especially for non-native English speakers, the team has partnered with Somali, Chinese, and South Asian communities in Sheffield and Bradford to test CognoSpeak with those who speak English as an additional language.
Read moreTiM2: Telehealth in MND-Care
Key aim: To improve the communication between people with MND, their carers, and healthcare professionals, to provide more responsive care.
People with MND (pwMND) are typically seen once every three months at appointments held within large city specialist centres, with limited communication in between these appointments. We have developed an online service, that enables pwMND and their carers to report their symptoms and how they are feeling to healthcare professionals, all from the comfort of their own homes.
Read moreThe Head Up Collar
The development of a novel cervical orthosis to support neck weakness due to neurological disease.
Many people with neurological conditions develop neck muscle weakness, leading to pain and restricted movement, as well as problems with swallowing, breathing and communication. The Head Up Collar developed helps to alleviate these problems.
Key Aims:
Around 5000 people in the UK live with Motor Neurone Disease (MND)/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The need for this project came directly from users and carers. The project was initially proposed by a Clinical Studies Group for MND, with support from carers and patients, with the view that the current cervical orthoses were inadequate in terms of function and comfort. The project therefore aimed to create a novel device to address these user needs.
Read morePatient and Care-partners Needs
- Globally, neurological disorder is the leading cause of disability and the 2nd leading cause of death. In the UK, around 1-in-6 are 'people living with Neurological Conditions' (plwNC) with at least one neurological condition and ~600K newly diagnosed annually
- Currently 1.3M UK stroke survivors, 2.2M people living with progressive neurological conditions, which include Motor Neuron Disease (MND), Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's Disease (PD) and almost 1M with dementia
- Annual NHS costs are £4.4Bn - 45% relating to hospital and emergency admissions
- Heavy burden and personal impact on their families is incalculable with 40% reporting that their mental health needs were not being met adequately, of which 60% reported anxiety and hopelessness
Our Vision
- Accelerate equitable access to HealthTech that improves condition management for plwNC and thereby their quality of life
- Promote independence by alleviating key functional limitations
- Empower symptom self-management
- Reduce demands on health services and improve system efficiency
- Support timely diagnoses and monitoring, including remote where appropriate and offered as a choice to reduce travel burden
Our Approach
- Respond to priority unmet needs across a range of LTNCs by working internationally with partners with competitive expertise and track records
- In responding to unmet needs, we include those from underserved communities, such that we can develop
- HealthTech that is culturally acceptable and available in multiple languages to reduce inequalities of access
- We consider PPIE/EDI informed issues such as barriers to LTNC clinic access that could be improved by tele-health or digital
HeathTech solutions - We work across all the themes of the HRC to ensure that wider inter-related long-term conditions are considered to maximise inclusion and market size
