BT, UHB demonstrate 5G-connected ambulance in Birmingham – Government Computing Network

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BT and the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) have entered into a partnership to demonstrate a remote diagnostic procedure using a 5G-connected ambulance in Birmingham.

BT said that the technology has the capability to transform healthcare services in the UK and bring about major cost-savings by reducing the number of patients being admitted to hospitals.

The demonstration follows the launch of BTs 5G network in Birmingham earlier in 2019.

It also follows the UKs first demonstration of a remote-controlled ultrasound scan over the 5G network in June.

The presentation was hosted at the Medical Devices Testing and Evaluation Centre (MD-TEC) in UHBs simulation lab located in the Institute of Translational Medicine.

The demonstration involved a 5G-connected ambulance, which was provided by South Central Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust, to allow remote diagnostics by connecting practitioners in the field with consultants or surgeons in real-time.

It showed a paramedic functioning from an ambulance in the Edgbaston area of the city being linked over the 5G network to a clinician based over two miles away at MD-TEC.

UHB chief executive Dave Rosser said: We are excited by the huge potential of 5G technology and how it can help transform healthcare in the future. We believe it has the potential to create more efficient use of healthcare resources, particularly with regards to easing the burden on A&E services which are facing unprecedented demand.

UK-based telecommunications company BT has worked with its research partners, including Ericsson and Kings College London, as well as Voysys to showcase how 5G technology can offer digital transformation of critically important services and facilitate real-time collaboration. It also shows the potential of 5G beyond enhanced mobile broadband.

BT Enterprise CTIO and 5G executive lead Fotis Karonis said: Not only is 5G capable of ultrafast speeds it has much lower latency meaning there is little to no delay when transmitting data over the network.

This means things happen in real time so this is of significant interest to the NHS because of its potential for medical applications, such as diagnostics and preventative healthcare. This capability provides efficiency opportunities for both hospital and ambulance trusts by reducing the number of referrals into hospital and patient trips.

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BT, UHB demonstrate 5G-connected ambulance in Birmingham - Government Computing Network