HANDI - Working together

The UK health market is in a unique and exciting stage right now. NPfIT will soon be a distant memory - one we should never forget - and trusts are finally able to procure as they choose. Simultaneously software is eating the world, and the enterprise market is changing. Platforms, libraries and infrastructure as a service mean that small groups of people, responding to market needs, can very quickly build something useful.

However, the technology has matured faster than the market. A certain amount of education is required before purchasers feel comfortable working with smaller suppliers. This is where groups like HANDI make such a difference.

The recent workshop to open the Leeds cluster was a chance to meet a real cross section of people who care. Doctors, developers, statisticians and informatics professionals together in a room. Openly sharing knowledge, fears, networks and to cry 'you are not alone!'.

There was a huge amount passion in the room; one lady in particular encapsulated why we were there. She cared for an elderly relative with advanced Alzheimer's. As often happens, she was the central point for all his care; only she really knows how all the parts of the puzzle fit together. The poor communication between different care providers, the difficulty nurses on home visits had in finding blood test results for example, amazed and frustrated her. So she was at HANDI to start working on a solution.

Together groups like this can make change the healthcare market - bringing SME's, big suppliers and the people using the software together to make a difference where it matters. On the shopfloor, to the doctors and nurses delivering the care, and to the patients receiving it.