Medical Centre

Too many people in the UK are not physically active enough; leading to an increased risk of health problems. Counting the number of steps you take each day is a good way to monitor and increase your physical activity.  But how many steps should you take? 10,000 steps daily is a reasonable target for an active adult. For older people or those with medical conditions that limit their physical activity, a smaller number of steps may be sufficient. The common recommendation of 10,000 steps per day is often used as a benchmark for a healthy activity level and it's a good target for active adults looking to maintain or improve their overall health.  What about specific groups? For older adults, as mobility and energy levels can decrease with age, a lower step count might be a more realistic target and can still be beneficial. Even 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day can significantly benefit older adults. In fact, any amount of physical activity is beneficial.  For those with chronic health con

Our article in the Journal of Medical Internet Research " Regulatory Standards and Guidance for the Use of Health Apps for Self-Management in Sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping Review " explores current landscape of health app regulation within Sub-Saharan Africa. In the digital age, health apps have become vital tools for managing health and wellness, significantly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where such innovations can leapfrog traditional healthcare barriers.  However, the proliferation of health apps also presents a challenge: ensuring these apps are safe, effective, and beneficial to the users. This is the focus of a recent scoping review from Imperial College London, which evaluates the current regulatory standards and guidelines for health apps dedicated to self-management across Sub-Saharan Africa. The Current Landscape of Health App Regulations The review highlights a critical gap: while health apps hold tremendous potential to support disease management and health p

Measles cases in the UK have increased recently; putting at risk the health of children who are unvaccinated.[1] What can primary care teams do to boost measles (MMR) vaccine uptake? I discuss some actions that general practices can take in a recent comment in the British Medical Journal . Implementing an effective vaccination programme within a general practice requires a multifaceted approach; combining clear leadership, comprehensive staff training, patient education, and meticulous record-keeping. The collective effort of the entire practice team is essential for its success. Assigning a dedicated team member to lead the vaccination programme ensures focused oversight. It is crucial that all staff are well-informed about the vaccination programme, including eligibility criteria and the benefits of vaccination for individuals, families, the NHS, and society. This knowledge can be enhanced through free online training.[2] Developing a set of Frequently Asked Questions based on offici

In the quest to refine healthcare delivery in England, this innovative approach, inspired by Brazil's successful community healthcare model, is a promising solution to the challenges faced by the NHS. The strategy focuses on the deployment of Community Health and Wellbeing Workers (CHWWs) to foster more efficient, localised healthcare services. Our recent article in the British Journal of General Practice discusses the potential of this model and how it could revolutionise healthcare in communities across England. The Inspiration from Brazil Brazil's community healthcare model stands as a testament to the power of grassroots health initiatives. Over the past two decades, this approach has led to significant improvements in health outcomes, including reductions in cardiovascular mortality, hospital admissions, and health inequalities. The core of Brazil's success lies in the integration of CHWWs into the healthcare system. These workers serve as pivotal links between GPs, c

The rapid shift towards digital health solutions, propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, has underscored the critical need for innovative approaches to healthcare delivery in the UK's NHS. The BP@Home initiative, as explored in our recent study published in the journal  PLOS ONE , stands out as a beacon of such innovation, aiming to revolutionise hypertension management in primary care settings across London. The initiative, a response to the pandemic-induced transition to remote healthcare, supports patients with hypertension in self-monitoring their blood pressure at home. This programme not only aims to maintain continuous care for high-risk patients but also addresses a long-standing challenge of hypertension management — a leading contributor to cardiovascular diseases globally - in trying to improve blood pressure control. Barriers and Facilitators to BP@Home Implementation Despite its promise, the BP@Home initiative faces significant hurdles, primarily stemming from resource co

In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the landscape of healthcare diagnostics, our recent BMJ article sheds light on a critical issue: the equity gap in AI healthcare diagnostics. The UK's substantial investment in AI technologies underscores the nation's commitment to enhancing healthcare delivery through innovations. However, this evolution brings to the forefront the need for equity: defined as fair access to medical technologies and unbiased treatment outcomes for all. AI's potential in diagnosing clinical conditions like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s Disease is promising. Yet, the challenges of data representation, algorithmic bias, and accessibility of AI-driven technologies loom large, threatening to perpetuate existing healthcare disparities. Our article highlights that the quality and inclusivity of data used to train AI tools are often problematic, leading to less representative data and biases in AI models. These biases can advers