Social media techniques boosting cancer screening

NHS Digital has reported that hundreds of practice nurses across the country have been taught how social media can improve health thanks to the success of one of its Widening Digital Participation projects.

Following an initial pilot with Facebook to promote breast screening, the North Midlands Breast Screening Service  witnessed an increase in the take up of screening services of 12.9 per cent, moving from 58th in the country for uptake to 11th. Nationally, uptake of invitations for breast screening are in decline. Therefore, the same techniques are now being harnessed elsewhere in the country to encourage patients to go for other cancer screening tests.

NHS Digital says that approximately 350 General Practice nurses and other practice staff have so far been trained in adopting technology to become Digital Health Champions, including learning how social media can help promote practice services.

The North Midlands Breast Screening Service pathfinder project, run by charity Good Things Foundation, continues to develop, with the latest innovation a link-up with Lancaster University to develop an AI chatbot which would assist staff in answering queries sent via Messenger.

The Widening Digital Participation (WDP) Programme aims to make digital health services and information accessible to everyone – particularly the most excluded people in society. In total, 20 digital inclusion pathfinders are being run across England to test new ways to help people access digital tools to improve their health, aiming to develop programmes which can be rolled out more widely.

Nicola Gill, Director of the WDP Programme, said: “NHS Digital is incredibly proud to have been able to support this innovative model that is now being adopted and used by NHS organisations across the country. Going to where people go every day, in this case a Facebook community group, allows us to connect and engage with people in a way that’s familiar and convenient for them. Pioneering models of health prevention and management like this are making a real difference in improving health outcomes for excluded communities.”

Helen Milner, CEO of Good Things Foundation, said: "It's brilliant to see the insights spreading from our Stoke pathfinder. Co-designed innovations really can change lives. At Good Things Foundation, we want everyone to benefit from digitally-enabled health - from patients to practice nurses. NHS investment in Widening Digital Participation is helping to make this happen."