Innovative smart digital technology to improve patient care demonstrated at NHS Liverpool

The first-of-its-kind digital testing space in the NHS has opened in Liverpool to test the latest digital technology to support patient care, including monitoring falls risk, heart rate and blood pressure.

The ‘Livernerds Lab’ consists of two specialised areas: a ‘Smart Room’, which simulates a hospital room, and a ‘Smart House’, which simulates a patient’s home. Both spaces are specifically adapted and fitted with the latest digital equipment, including sensor technology, virtual reality (VR) and telehealth, all enabled by high speed 5G connectivity.

Located within Liverpool’s Life Sciences Accelerator, the lab brings together the pioneering work of the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust’s Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) programme and Liverpool 5G Health and Social Care.

The Livernerds Lab has been selected to be part of the £3.5 million Liverpool 5G Health and Social Care pilot which utilises 5G technology to enable health and social care devices or apps to be tested.

This opportunity allows partners to work collaboratively to trial digital health technology before it is implemented in hospitals and patients’ homes.

Dr Paul Fitzsimmons, Deputy Medical Director at the Trust, said: “The technology allows health professionals to monitor important changes to a patient’s health including heart rate, blood pressure, falls and other important changes. Any changes will then trigger support and can prevent an unnecessary hospital admission.

“It is hoped that in the future this innovative work will also be used to support patients who are ready to be discharged from hospital. The ‘Livernerds Lab’ is the perfect place for health professionals, health and social care colleagues and information technology experts to work collaboratively to develop this amazing ‘assistive technology’ for patients.”