Assistive Technology
Discover why Yorkshire is leading the way:
1. The UK is leading the world in telecare systems and the drive to maintain the independence of the elderly in their own homes (1.6 million applications in the UK servicing 16% of over 65s, compared to an average of 5% in other European countries(1)). The government continues to invest heavily in this area (see Innovation & Adoption below) with Yorkshire being a major benefactor – one of the two national pilot Health Technology Cooperatives were based in Yorkshire and three of the nine ALIP project (Assisted Living Independent Platform) will be hosted in Yorkshire.
2. Home to the world’s market leader in the provision of telecare and telehealth solutions, Tunstall, with its HQ and major manufacturing site located in East Yorkshire.
3. Internationally recognised centres of research excellence in rehabilitation and assistive technologies, with a track record of collaborative research with industry. In relation to assistive technologies, Yorkshire has a particular strength in telecare and remote monitoring, and in relation to rehabilitation, speech recognition and rehabilitation design engineering.
4. Leeds offers the second largest amputee service in the UK and it has been awarded “National Centre of Excellence” for its holistic approach to patient care, Leeds is also home to one of the UK’s largest rehabilitation companies specialising in upper body artificial limbs.
5. Major cluster of related industries including medical devices, digital industries, and engineering.
6. Track record of clinical trials in assistive technologies and telecare through collaborative working between Barnsley NHS Hospital & Sheffield, and the York Centre for Useable Home Technology.
7. Home to two of the UK’s leading health economics groups, Sheffield Centre For Health Related Research and the York Health Economic Consortium.
(1) Figures obtained from Tunstall Group Ltd