Intelligent Health.tech Issue 19 | Page 6

NEWS

BURENDO AWARDED MULTI-MILLION- POUND CONTRACT WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM HEALTH SECURITY AGENCY

Product delivery and technology consultancy , Burendo , has been appointed as the technical delivery partner on a multi-millionpound contract with the United Kingdom Health Security Agency ( UKHSA ), supporting fundamental aspects of its operating model as well as providing core technology product development services .

The UKHSA is responsible for protecting society in England and safeguarding public health from the impact of serious health threats . Acknowledging the current environment and challenges in the industry , the UKHSA is actively modernising its IT operations to strengthen the UK ’ s resilience against such threats , which include infectious diseases , chemical and biological incidents , radiological risks and nuclear threats .
Known for driving sustainable change by educating and enabling skills transfer in complex organisations , Burendo will serve as the UKHSA ’ s trusted development operations ( DevOps ) partner .
This three-year agreement signifies a major step forward in the advancement of the UKHSA ’ s DevOps capabilities as the Burendo team delivers hands-on expertise to ensure the UKHSA can cope with any incident , no matter how severe .
“ We are immensely proud to be chosen as the UKHSA ’ s partner of choice for the delivery and support of their critical technology solutions . Being awarded this contract is testament to the exceptional dedication and expertise of our entire team , who are consistently recognised by clients for delivering outstanding results ,” said Glenn Crossley , Co-founder of Burendo .
“ We are thrilled to be partnering with the UKHSA to advise and help them deliver crucial work to protect the UK public ,” added Crossley .

NEW HEART DISEASE CALCULATOR COULD SAVE LIVES BY IDENTIFYING HIGH-RISK PATIENTS MISSED BY CURRENT TOOLS

Collaborative research , led from the University of Oxford and published in Nature Medicine , has developed a new tool called QR4 that more accurately predicts an individual ’ s 10-year risk of cardiovascular diseases , like heart disease and stroke , particularly identifying high-risk patients that current prediction tools miss .

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death globally .
The new tool , QR4 can be thought of as a type of calculator that lets doctors use an individual ’ s health data , such as blood pressure , age and medical history , to estimate their likelihood of developing a cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years , allowing them to intervene early to prevent illness .
QR4 includes seven new risk factors applicable to all adults : chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ), learning disabilities , Down syndrome and four cancer types ( blood , lung , oral and brain ), highlighting how other significant diseases impact on heart health .
QR4 also identified factors specific to women ’ s health that were predictive of future heart disease risk , such as complications from high blood pressure during pregnancy , and postnatal depression .
“ While traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking and high cholesterol are well-recognised , our latest research identifies less obvious , yet crucial risk indicators ,” said Professor Julia Hippisley-Cox , lead author , Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice , at the University of Oxford ’ s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences . “ For instance , conditions like postnatal depression and Down ’ s syndrome significantly contribute to cardiovascular risk , underscoring the complex interplay between mental health , genetic factors and heart health . QR4 also helps to address inequalities in health , particularly around learning disabilities , which often coincide with barriers to effective health management and access , leading to an increased risk .”
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