- The programme aims to reduce the lung cancer mortality rate by ensuring early diagnosis and treatment
- Using iPLATO’s Population Health service, the programme will look to improve uptake amongst the eligible population.
- The myGP app will target local eligible people through notifications and informational tiles to encourage participation
London, 7th of August – iPLATO, a Huma Company, announces new partnership with the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance. This collaboration aims to help re-engage patients across Wigan and Salford in the Targeted Lung Health Check programme, focusing on early detection and awareness of lung cancer.
Through the strategic use of the iPLATO Population Health Service, this initiative will identify and contact eligible patients starting with three primary care networks in Wigan. The programme targets individuals who smoke or who have previously smoked, aged 55-74 and is designed to maximise participation and awareness within this age group.
Engaging with up to 35,000 patients in designated PCNs, the myGP app will feature information to encourage participation in Salford. “Our partnership with the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance is a vital step towards mitigating the impact of lung cancer through early detection,” said Tobias Alpsten, CEO at iPLATO. “By leveraging our extensive network and unique population health technology, we are giving patients easier access to find out about the targeted lung health checks preventative and earlier diagnosis care. We are confident in this scalable approach and the benefit it can deliver to other regions too. “
The Targeted Lung Health Check programme is an important initiative in reducing the lung cancer mortality rate by ensuring early diagnosis and treatment. Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, accounting for 13% of all new cancer cases. The economic burden of lung cancer in the UK amounts to £2.4bn each year, with a death rate from the disease of 56 deaths per 100,000 people annually. Now more than ever, it is important to promote screening and increase early detection to improve patient outcomes.
Greater Manchester is using various communication channels to engage with local people including digital, out of home and print.
“We want to get the message about attending your free lung health check out far and wide because the evidence shows these checks really do save lives by finding lung cancers at an early stage before people may even have symptoms” commented Oliver Butterworth, Senior Programme Manager for the TLHC programme at the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance
“By working with iPLATO we hope to help further increase attendance at the NHS clinics which in turn helps to transform earlier diagnosis of lung cancer in Greater Manchester”.
With the combined expertise of iPLATO and the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, the programme is set to be a key part of the transformation of earlier diagnosis of lung cancer in Greater Manchester.
Luke Wyatt, Director – Cancer & Commissioning at iPLATO commented: “We are delighted to partner with the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance on this crucial initiative. Our objective is to encourage large-scale participation in the Targeted Lung Health Check programme and ensure timely preventative measures, reducing lung cancer mortality in the region.”
About iPLATO
iPLATO Healthcare has supported the NHS primary care sector with digital patient engagement for almost 20 years. Currently servicing 22 Integrated Care Boards around England, iPLATO’s network – including population health services – connects 33 million patients. Over 3 million patients use the myGP app, a digital front door to engage with their GP, order repeat medication and explore local health services. iPLATO was acquired by Huma in 2022.
About Targeted Lung Health Checks
Delivered by the NHS, the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme (TLHC) offers lung health checks to participants aged 55 to 74 who are current or former smokers with the aim of improving earlier diagnosis of lung cancer, at a stage when it is much more treatable and ultimately saving more lives.
About Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance
Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance is one of 21 Cancer Alliances across NHS England, and the Cancer Programme of the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.
The Alliance brings together clinical and managerial leaders from all hospital trusts and other health and social care organisations from across the entire region, alongside user involvement representatives and other partners, to transform the diagnosis, treatment and care for cancer patients in Greater Manchester.
- Greater Manchester Cancer website: gmcancer.org.uk
- Greater Manchester Cancer Twitter: twitter.co.uk/GM_cancer
- Greater Manchester Cancer Facebook: facebook.com/GreaterManchesterCancer
