CardMedic

🎄 This festive season, we're taking a moment to express our gratitude for the incredible network of patients and healthcare providers who use CardMedic every single day. We're humbled to play a part in making healthcare communication more inclusive and accessible, no matter the time of year.   At CardMedic, we believe that everyone deserves to be heard and understood, especially when it comes to their health. That's why we've created a platform that breaks down communication barriers and empowers both patients and providers to connect with confidence.   This holiday season, we're especially thankful for: 🙏 The healthcare professionals who go above and beyond to provide exceptional care, often in challenging circumstances. Your dedication to clear communication inspires us. 🙏 The patients and families who trust CardMedic to help them navigate healthcare interactions. Your stories motivate us to continually improve and expand our offerings. 🙏 Our partners and collaborators who share our vision for a more inclusive healthcare system. Your support is invaluable in our mission to reach even more people.   From all of us at CardMedic, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season filled with joy, connection, and meaningful communication. 😃🥰🎉 #InclusiveHealthcare #HealthEquity #CommunicationMatters #HappyHolidays

The Care Quality Commission health inequalities framework for integrated care systems will be launched in Feb 2025, following the completion of the testing phase. The framework aims to enable health systems to have a positive impact on people and communities experiencing health inequalities. Examples and guidance will be included, as will impact measures.     With contributions from National Voices (Jacob Lant), The Point of Care Foundation (Sarah Massie) and others, we look forward to this publication. It's a significant milestone on the journey towards greater health equity.  https://lnkd.in/e7qWDTAp   #HealthEquity #HealthInequality 

Did you know that up to 1 in 4 UK adults are d/Deaf, and this number rises to 80% of those over 70? Yet many healthcare professionals receive no formal training on how to effectively communicate with d/Deaf individuals.    In this powerful TEDx talk, pioneering palliative care physician Dr Natasha Wilcock, who is Deaf, illuminates the distinct needs of d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients, and underscores the invaluable contributions d/Deaf professionals bring to the healthcare landscape. Dr Wilcock - who is a member of the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme alongside our CEO Rachael Grimaldi - shines a spotlight on an often overlooked aspect of patient care, inspiring a more inclusive and compassionate approach to medical practice.    Dr Wilcock reveals how many healthcare staff feel “underprepared & under skilled” at communicating with d/Deaf patients, and how training - such as that provided by her own organisation IDA Training - can help.     CardMedic can also assist, with clinical content in multiple formats including British Sign Language.     Everyone deserves equitable and compassionate care, and accessible communication is central to this. We celebrate Dr Wilcock's vital work to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for d/Deaf patients and healthcare professionals. 👏 https://lnkd.in/eVm9Rtdd   #InclusiveHealthcare #DeafAwareness #BSL 

In a clear demonstration of the success of patient-centred care, almost one out of every eight phone calls made under the Martha's Rule scheme has led to a potentially life-saving change of treatment, according to NHS England data. Martha’s Rule enables patients and their families to request an immediate reassessment if they believe that their, or their loved ones, deteriorating condition is not being given proper attention.  Merope Mills - mother to Martha, whose death from sepsis led to the initiative - told BBC News that "if we implement Martha's Rule nationally, we can confidently say that it would greatly improve care, change the culture and save lives." We're proud to support an NHS trust in West Yorkshire implement the scheme. It's vital that patients and families can benefit from Martha's Rule without the impediment of communication and language barriers. ▶️ Find out more about our work: https://lnkd.in/eP3CEM-w ▶️ Read the BBC story: https://lnkd.in/ePa4QFik

Maternity teams want to do their utmost to provide great care to service users, and the recent Care Quality Commission maternity survey states that most pregnant women and new mothers with communication needs get the help they require. The survey also highlights that one in five do not.     Most (82%) respondents said that staff helped them with their communication needs while in the maternity unit. However, nearly a fifth (18%) said they did not.      How can we support the one in five who feel they don't get the help with communication they need? CardMedic is here to provide such support, with clinically-validated content in over 50 languages and formats, including Easy Read materials.     Maternity teams across the country are turning to CardMedic to overcome communication barriers.  If you are involved in maternity care, drop us a line to see how we can help.    Read the results in full here:      https://lnkd.in/eQCYSjmb 

Earlier this week, we had the pleasure of joining the digital consent and health inequalities demo day at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust to celebrate an exciting collaboration tasked with enhancing the digital consent process. Our CEO and Co-founder Rachael Grimaldi reflects on the project, which involved a unique collaboration between UHCW clinical and operational staff and Concentric Health, Remcare, VirtTuri and Eviden. The 3-month initiative saw partners work together to develop digital solutions to help patients consent to care and treatment without communication barriers. With thanks to Dr Penny Kechagioglou, UHCW, University of Warwick Dafydd Loughran and the many other people involved in making this project such a success!

#DisabilityHistoryMonth is a time to promote equitable and accessible healthcare for people with disabilities.     The history of care for disabled people has not always been great, as this fascinating online exhibition from The King's Fund shows.     Such care has evolved, but more can be done to improve access and deliver more equitable care.     We'll do what we can to help by helping the health and care workforce overcome communication barriers, with resources such as Easy Read materials and our commitment to providing information in clear accessible language.     We also strive to put the voices of disabled people – and others facing inequalities – at the heart of how we design our services.   https://lnkd.in/dUkRr-ui   

It was a pleasure to join the National Community Languages Deliberative Event to discuss ideas and solutions to how we can help the 1 million people in the UK who cannot speak English well or at all. Giving everyone equitable access to healthcare is a guiding principle for the NHS, and it is encouraging to see this work underway. Thanks to all involved - we look forward to what comes next! NHS England NHS South, Central and West Abdul Hamied Prof. Bola Owolabi, MRCGP MFPH(Hon), FRSPH

Midwife and digital health innovator Ruby Jackson is aware of the impact of the structural racism and unconscious bias that shapes the experiences of Black and Brown women in healthcare.      In a new blog, Ruby shares how our healthcare system often operates through a Eurocentric lens. White bodies and experiences are the default; less than 5% of medical textbook images depict conditions on Black or Brown skin.    Women can receive different treatment based on their skin colour, and the stress induced by experiencing bias and discrimination can have profound implications for both mother and baby.     Ruby calls for commitment and action on multiple fronts.  ✅ Education and training: Embed cultural competency and anti-racist practices from the start.  ✅ Practical tools: Tangible solutions such as the Melanatal app and CardMedic help the NHS improve equity and access.  ✅ Policy reform: Clear accountability measures can reduce racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.  ✅ Community support: Engaging organisations such as Black Maternity Matters, The Motherhood Group and Five X More can help build trust and awareness.  ✅ Representation: The healthcare provider workforce should reflect and understand the communities they serve.    Building trust requires action, not just words. Read Ruby's powerful blog to see what actions everyone can take.  https://lnkd.in/edNJPNh7   #MaternalHealth #HealthEquity #DiversityInHealthcare #DigitalHealth 

We're thrilled to be part of the upcoming digital consent and health inequalities demo day at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust on 9th Dec! We will be showcasing our collaboration with Concentric Health and others on using digital tools to enhance health equality as part of a digital consent implementation.    Our work together sprung from a challenge to help ensure patients understand clinical procedures and enable two-way communication between patient and clinician to build confidence in the consent outcomes.    Come along on the day to see the results of work with a range of amazing partners! Sign up below. https://lnkd.in/e84Uqz7V  University of Warwick Eviden Remcare VirtTuri