In healthcare, innovations are becoming normality.

With the right support and nurturing, great ideas can get adopted very rapidly bringing immediate benefits to patients, and boosting the economy at the same time.

Many of the ‘digital first’ healthcare ideas which feature in this new report were initiated during the Covid-19 pandemic. They are already becoming the norm.

Virgin Media recently commissioned the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) to look at the potential benefits to the UK Economy of the continued investment in digital transformation projects, similar to what they've seen over the last year.

Across the UK, the Cebr estimates that continued investment in digital change projects could increase UK GDP by £232bn, or 6.9%, by 2040. Simply by continuing to invest in digital infrastructure projects in the health and social care sector we could expect a £33bn boost to UK GDP over the same timeframe - an uplift of approximately 1%.

In this report we look at the benefits associated with this continued investment, including how:

• Consultations for mental health services in London are now taking place face-to-face online, with better outcomes as a result, helped by the Trust providing ‘digital pods’ so everyone can access the same service, even without the kit at home.
• Speech Therapists can now offer a blend of face-to-face and remote service delivery tailored to suit a patient’s needs.
• Clinicians at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London started to use VR so they could see the world through the eyes of their patients.