The technology horizon

The technology horizon report

The purpose of our research is not to predict technological developments, but to identify possible areas of change, and to consider the implications for the workforce. The aim of this report is to stimulate thinking around the impact of future technologies on the health and social care workforce. It provides a starting point to consider factors that may influence the requirements, numbers and proportions of the future workforce, which may in turn stimulate changes in education and training, multidisciplinary working or priorities and practices. Further research will include greater analysis of the trends and drivers identified in this report, and we will work with expert stakeholders to examine the workforce implications in more detail.

Authors: Zaichen Lu, Katherine Booth, Matt Edwards, Rafael Popper, Alan Boyd, Barbara Jones, Ian Miles, Monika Popper, Guillermo Velasco

Methodology: The research to date has been produced from an initial web-scanning exercise and documentary analysis to identify the key trends and technology areas in health and social care. This included a literature scan across 28 selected initiatives or agencies from the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment. From this research, five common themes emerged. Each theme and some related technologies are discussed in greater detail in the following sections of this report:

• Therapeutic technology– technologies used in the treatment of disease and injury, including pharmacological, surgical and psychological therapies. This section discusses regenerative medicine and minimally invasive procedures.
• Diagnostic technology – technologies for identifying diseases and other conditions. This section discusses nanotechnology and point-ofcare diagnostics.
• Enabling technology – technologies that mitigate the impact of disease or disability. This section discusses mobile technology, wearable health monitors, and assistive technologies.
• Preventive technology – technologies that reduce the risk or severity of illness and injury. This section discusses genomics and gaming and education.
• Organisational technology – technologies supporting alternative health and social care delivery configurations and organisational design. This section discusses integrated big data.

New Horizon Scanning Hub iPad App and Community launched!

Horizon Scanning Hub iPad App.
Powered by Futures Diamond.

At the 2013 CfWI’s Annual Conference, we have proudly announced the launch of the Horizon Scanning Hub iPad App and the Hub Community.

This is the first (and so far only!) Horizon Scanning Hub iPad App in the world. The Hub is a unique source of future-thinking information about the healthcare, social care and public health workforce in the United Kingdom. It aims to inform better long-term decisions to improve workforce planning and people’s life. It gives users easy access to the ideas bank and projects area of the Hub offline and on-the-go.  The App has been developed by the CfWI in partnership with the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIoIR) at the University of Manchester and Futures Diamond. We are now working on adding further features to the App, including the ability to read articles and check out the latest news.

The H­ub Community allows users to interact with the site and with other registered users.  It provides a forum for sharing of ideas and information, allowing users to work collaboratively with the CfWI and with colleagues from across the sector, to improve workforce planning at national and local levels.  In the community area, you can hold discussions with colleagues, read and respond to thought-pieces, or post your own articles.  You can also update your profile and review your contributed items.

For further information about the CfWI Horizon Scanning Hub, please visit: http://www.horizonscanning.org.uk

Take a quick tour of the CfWI Horizon Scanning System

The Centre for Workforce Intelligence (CfWI), Futures Diamond and the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIoIR) have successfully implemented another phase of the continuously evolving CfWI Horizon Scanning Hub. The Hub is a unique source of future-thinking information about the healthcare, social care and public health workforce in the United Kingdom. It aims to inform better long-term decisions to improve workforce planning and  people’s life. The new version of the Hub allows you to access the latest research from the CfWI Horizon Scanning team, contribute to ongoing projects, explore our comprehensive ideas bank, our big picture challenges, our publications, and much more…

You can visit the video tour of the CfWI Horizon Scanning Hub here.

The Hub was jointly developed by the CfWI, The University of Manchester and Futures Diamond. The following film explains the main demographic and financial challenges facing health and social care, before outlining why the CfWI has adopted horizon scanning as a means of helping organisations address these challenges. It explains:

• the CfWI horizon scanning methodology
• the projects where the CfWI has used horizon scanning
• the organisations with whom the CfWI works.

The video concludes by illustrating what people think of the CfWI approach, before explaining the future work of the CfWI, including the CfWI’s new online information hub, which is designed to assist organisations in their workforce planning.