HPC

Project Description

The Department of Health has identified a need to utilise technology to help manage demand on memory clinic assessments, accurately detecting progression from MCI (mild cognitive impairment) to Alzheimer’s Disease and improving efficiency of staff time. Occupational Therapists (OTs) play a key role in the management of people with MCI (PwMCI), running follow-up clinics at both Sheffield memory clinics.

There is a national challenge with missed appointments costing the NHS £150 million per year. Digital remote appointments are a solution to address this challenge.

CognoSpeak is an automated cognitive assessment tool that uses an on-screen Digital Doctor asking questions and analysing spoken responses. It can distinguish between AD, MCI and healthy controls and can be repeated over time.

This project will investigate whether OTs can assess PwMCI in their own home using CognoSpeak in combination with the ViVA remote visit system. PwMCI would use their own smartphone or tablet (facilitated by support worker or family member) or have one provided.

In a recent stakeholder, patient and public consultation the opportunity to utilise technology to minimise hospital attendance and bring care closer to home was viewed positively.

We will run workshops involving all end-users on what is required to use technology to manage PwMCI remotely. We will recruit 10 PwMCI to use this system in a real clinical setting from the two hospital memory clinics in Sheffield.

This is a new collaboration between STH, SHSCT, TUoS, SHU, Sheffield City Council and Age UK.