Asda trials hearing services

Asda is now the first UK supermarket to offer an in-store hearing service after announcing that it will partner with Amplifon, who will provide hearing services in three of its stores.

Based in the opticians at Asda Altrincham, Harrogate and Long Eaton stores, during the trial, Amplifon will provide free hearing tests and free hearing aid trials, whilst offering a wide variety of bespoke hearing aid options, utilising the latest in hearing technology.

Maq Din, Asda Healthcare Partnerships Manager, said: “There are 6.7 million people in the UK who could benefit from a hearing aid, so we're thrilled to work with an established company like Amplifon to offer this convenient service in some of our opticians.”

Amplifon has been operating for in excess of 70 years and has expanded its services to 25 countries and five continents, with 136 hearing centres in the UK.

Amplifon’s Head of Marketing for the UK, Anibal Oliveira, said: “Partnering with Asda is one more step in our mission to help those who struggle with hearing difficulties to rediscover the emotions of sound. We bring our expertise in hearing care, delivered by our hearing care professionals, built on over 70 years of worldwide experience. 

"It's my belief the collaboration between Asda and Amplifon will bring a better quality of life to many more people, and we are really excited to start this journey."

Initially, Amplifon services will be available between 9am and 5pm;

Thursdays and Fridays in Altrincham

Wednesdays and Fridays in Harrogate

Tuesday and Friday in Long Eaton

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Age UK Collaborates with Creative Virtual to Better Meet the Charity’s Goals with Conversational AI

Age UK has  improved its website experience and better supports Advice Line Advisors with V-Person™ technology.

Creative Virtual, which is a world leader in conversational AI for customer and employee engagement, is the conversational AI provider of choice for Age UK. Age UK is the United Kingdom’s largest charity for older people, providing services and support at both national and local levels. 

They have collaborated with Creative Virtual since 2017 on their virtual assistant solution.

Available to the public on the Age UK website, the virtual assistant is powered by Creative Virtual’s V-Person technology. The solution has enabled the charity to successfully achieve their four main project goals: improve discoverability of a large amount of online content; give people more ways to easily interact with and find information; resolve easy-to-answer queries online to reduce Advice Line calls; and be proactive in testing new innovations to better meet the charity’s objectives.

“We are really pleased to be working with Creative Virtual on our conversational AI. It’s so important our website can offer visitors the support and assistance they need when contacting Age UK, and we need that process to be as effective and helpful as possible in order to achieve our goals,” says Kathi Hall, Head of Content Strategy and Brand at Age UK.

She went on to say: “Our Advice Line is in huge demand given the many challenges older people are facing right now, and we need to ensure we are there to answer the phone and help those who need us the most, which this AI will help us to do.”

An upgrade to a more mobile-friendly interface design last year brought about an increase in use of the tool by 50% over 2002. 

Web chat was also added at the same time to provide live agent support on the website, increasing the number of channels available and improving accessibility. Through an integration of V-Person with Twilio, users are seamlessly handed over to a live agent within the virtual assistant interface.

“Age UK’s virtual assistant is a wonderful example of the successful implementation of custom conversational flows,” says Chris Ezekiel, Founder & CEO of Creative Virtual. “Made possible by our conversational AI management platform, V-Portal™, these flows are key for guiding users to the right information despite Age UK’s large amount of online content.”

To learn more, visit www.creativevirtual.com.

Age UK's website can be found here https://www.ageuk.org.uk.

(Image courtesy of Sabine van Erp and Pixabay)

Kaio-Dia Offers a Wide Range of Useful Wearables and Accessories for Children and Adults with Diabetes

“Kaio-Dia was launched because, as a diabetic myself, I found I was constantly looking for products that would make my life a little easier,” said Kaio.

Kaio-Dia’s products are made for and tested by diabetics, ensuring each product offers the highest degree of usability and support possible.

Kaio-Dia is an industry leader in offering wearables and accessories for children and adults with diabetes and is proud to offer a wide range of helpful products to its users, all designed to help make their everyday life more convenient.

Founded by a Type 1 diabetic, Kaio-Dia is on a mission to create products that make everyday life for children and adults living with diabetes more convenient. 

That’s because its team knows what living with diabetes can be like: the constant balancing of shots, planning, counting carbohydrates, and taking insulin, just to name a few of the many challenges.

With that mission and experience in mind, Kaio-Dia offers high-quality, sustainably made wearables and accessories, from the Dia-Belt (one of the best insulin pump belts on market today) to the Dia-Cool (a cooling wallet to keep your insulin and pump cool) to the Dia-Band (an armband to protect your sensor during sporting activities), among many others. 

Each Kaio-Dia product is offered with a wide choice of colours, designs, and sizes; Kaio-Dia even offers an entire collection entirely dedicated to children. Accessibility is also vitally important, which is why Kaio-Dia’s website is available in 10 languages, with more to be added soon.

“Kaio-Dia was started because, as a diabetic myself, I found myself constantly looking for products that would make my life a little easier,” said Kaio Kim, the inspiration behind Kaio-Dia. 

“Since the company’s founding, we’ve become perhaps the global leader in offering wearables and accessories for diabetics, everywhere, with each product designed to be thoroughly usable.”

Kaio added, “I’m immensely proud of what Kaio-Dia has become, and moving forward, we plan on expanding to offer products that help those living with other chronic diseases by making their everyday lives more convenient.”

To learn more about Kaio-Dia or its products, click here or visit https://kaio-dia.eu. 

A fifth of UK adults are seeing members of their support network less, due to cost-of-living crisis

New research has shown 22% of people are seeing members of their support networks less and a quarter (24%) expect this will soon be the case, due to cost of living crisis.

This is having negative impacts on people’s mental health; of these people nearly two fifths (37%) are feeling lonely, and over a third (36%) feel isolated, anxious (35%), or stressed out(32%).

Since April 2022, a third (33%) have been less able to afford to take part in, or travel to, activities beneficial to their mental wellbeing.

£8million now raised by Co-op’s customers, members and colleagues will support new community services across the UK to improve mental wellbeing.

New research from Co-op and mental health charities Mind, SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) and Inspire has revealed that over a fifth (22%) of people are seeing their support network less and a quarter (24%) expect this will soon be the case, because of the cost-of-living crisis.

Relying on people in your support network who you can trust, for example, friends, family, and colleagues, can be an important way to help manage your wellbeing, including helping to reduce feelings of social isolation and loneliness.

The YouGov study indicates the increasing toll that rising cost of living is having on the nation’s mental wellbeing, as access to support networks and the ability to afford activities to look after our mental health becomes increasingly difficult.

Of those who were seeing their support networks less, almost two fifths (37%) said they are feeling lonely, and over a third are feeling isolated (36%), anxious (35%), or stressed (32%) because of this.

An alarming three fifths (59%) said they would usually drive to see their network, but fuel is currently too expensive for them to do so, and a sixth (15%) said they cannot afford public transport costs.

A third (33%) of respondents also said they have been less able to afford activities beneficial to their mental wellbeing, since April 2022. Of these, over three fifths (69%) said they could not afford the cost of taking part, rising to nearly four in five (79%) among 25 to 34-year-olds. Over a third (38%) can no longer afford the cost of travel to get to these activities, rising to nearly half of 25 to 34 year-olds (44%) and 45 to 54 year-olds (45%).

Emily Nuttall, 29, is a part-time student from Guernsey in the Channel Islands. She has lived experience of anxiety, depression, PTSD, self-harm and anorexia, and also has cerebral palsy. The cost of living crisis has left Emily struggling to afford to travel to her friends and family, who she relies on for mental health support. Emily has been left feeling more anxious, and experiencing suicidal thoughts and self-harm.

Emily says: “My mum and cousin can’t visit me as much now, as they live on the other end of the island and can’t afford to buy petrol as often. If I want to see them now, I have to get six buses to get there and back because that’s what I can afford. My cousin is one of the people I feel most comfortable speaking to about my mental health, so it’s hard not being able to see her as much.

“I live alone in my flat and the lack of social interaction is making me feel isolated. I’ve become much more withdrawn, shutdown and lonely. My anxiety has increased, and I’m stuck in my head – experiencing difficult flashbacks and suicidal thoughts. I’ve been self-harming more and relapsing with anorexia too. I just feel like I’ve become completely detached from everyone around me, which is impacting my life and recovery.

“I used to have lots of hobbies - like drama club and choir - and attend social activities too. Those things provide a happy, safe world where I don’t think about anything else. But I can only do one of those things a week now compared to the four or five I did before everything got so expensive, as well as the travel cost.

“Having independence, the ability to see my support network and take part in activities which benefit my mental health is vital to my recovery – so I’m really struggling.”

This research comes as Co-op customers, members and colleagues have raised £8million for Mind, SAMH and Inspire. The partnership is funding mental wellbeing services in over 50 local communities across the UK. Over 18,000 people have received support from the services, so far.

Vicki Nash, Associate Director of Policy, Campaigns and Public Affairs at Mind, said: “We cannot underestimate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the nation’s mental health. We know that poor mental health can make earning and managing money harder and financial worries can have a huge impact on our mental health. It can start to feel like a vicious cycle.

“Since last summer, we’ve seen a 40% increase in the number of people getting in touch with the Mind Infoline about difficulties they’ve been experiencing with financial matters such as welfare, unemployment and personal debt. Callers are also regularly asking us if we know of any financial support for them to help with the rising costs.

“This new research suggests a worrying number of us are struggling to afford to see the people we often depend on to help us with life’s ups and downs, and to take part in activities that are beneficial to our mental wellbeing.

“As the cost of living crisis deepens and it may become harder to see family and friends, thousands of people across the country will need better access to mental health support in their community. That’s why we are so grateful to every Co-op customer, member and colleague who has helped reach that £8million figure through this partnership. The services they have helped to fund are already making a real difference, with 18,000 people, so far, getting support for their mental health through these. This help comes at a time when it is perhaps needed more than ever.”

Helen Carroll, Head of Community Strategy & Engagement at Co-op, said: “We see first-hand the positive impact that can be had when members of communities come together. This £8million raised by our customers, members and colleagues will have a huge impact in responding to the desperate need for community engagement and interaction across our towns and cities amidst the cost-of-living crisis.

“Through 50 new mental wellbeing services, Mind, SAMH and Inspire are delivering vital support including those struggling to access their support networks due to the high cost of fuel and transport. So far, over 18,000 people have been supported through these services and of these, four fifths (81%) feel their mental wellbeing has improved.

For more information on the partnership, visit https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace/corporate-partnerships/current-partners/co-op/.

(Image courtesy of Wokandapix and Pixabay)

Polio vaccination efforts must be supported by good hygiene, say experts on World Polio Day

World Polio Day on October 24th is an annual day that highlights progress on the road to polio eradication

As new outbreaks of an archaic disease sweep the globe, hygiene experts warn that vaccination as the first line of defence must be backed up by adequate hygiene.

Cases of polio have been detected in the United States, United Kingdom and Israel in the last few months; places where cases had not been detected for many years.

“Usually this annual moment of World Polio Day is about marking progress and seeing how far the world has come in eradicating the polio epidemic in dozens of countries,” said Professor Albert Ko, Professor and Chair of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where it remains endemic. 

“But this year, recent outbreaks have highlighted that diseases, both old and new, can emerge at any time, which is why it’s important to always maintain good hygiene as a first line of defence.”

Poliomyelitis, or polio, is a highly contagious viral disease which most commonly affects children under five years old. While around 75% of infected people won’t experience symptoms, for others polio can lead to paralysis and even death. 

It typically spreads through contact with the faecal matter or via droplets in a sneeze or cough from an infected person. The polio vaccine, developed in the 1950s, offers significant protection.

Last month, New York State declared a State Disaster Emergency after detecting a case of polio in Rockland County. It was the first detected in the U.S. in over a decade. Health officials have since found traces of the wild poliovirus in the wastewater samples of five other nearby counties, which points to the potential of local spread. Cases were also diagnosed in London and Jerusalem earlier this year.

New York’s state of disaster emergency has allowed for authorities to increase their vaccination efforts. Authorities have been urging all unvaccinated New Yorkers, including children under two years old, to get the vaccination. In London, booster doses are being offered to all children aged between the ages of one and nine. The World Health Organisation has categorised polio as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

“A vaccination for polio has long existed and is the best way to prevent the spread of polio, but this should, and must, be supported by regular and increased handwashing. The fact that many people experience no symptoms at all means that individuals shouldn’t be waiting to fall ill before they implement those extra hygiene measures,” 

Simon Sinclair, Executive Director of RGHI said. “These incidents of polio are a reminder that we should always have a guard up and be practising good hygiene and passing those behaviours onto children, especially as they are the ones most at risk.”

One concern is that, amid COVID-19, many children missed out on their routine vaccinations. Around 25 million children worldwide were thought to miss a some or all of their immunizations in 2021.

“We join in calls from the various governments and the global health community for both adults and children to be immunised against polio if they haven’t been already. That’s the first course of action,” Simon Sinclair continued. “After that, it’s about maintaining those hygiene habits that became so ingrained during the height of the pandemic. That means regular hand washing for over 20 seconds with soap and clean water.”

RGHI, a hygiene research focussed nonprofit, will also be supporting these efforts by continuing its important work in funding and producing evidence that demonstrates the link between health and hygiene. The aim of the organisation, founded by global consumer goods company Reckitt plc, is to provide decision-makers with more timely, accurate and practical information on ways to better safeguard communities from illness.

“The more we know about the various dangers diseases such as polio pose to our health and the ways in which hygiene may prevent and fight off such diseases, the better chance we have of eliminating unnecessary illness and death,” Simon Sinclair concluded.

Polio World Polio Day Hygiene Health Vaccine Vaccination Infectious Diseases Pediatrics Paediatrics Children's Health Charities & non-profits Government Health Medical & Pharmaceutical Public Sector & Legal

Published By Reckitt Global Hygiene Institute.

https://www.rghi.org

Chilterns MS Centre to start providing services to stroke survivors

Stroke survivors can often face the same or similar challenges to people with MS or Parkinson’s.

Earlier this year, the Chilterns MS Centre began a pilot programme to open up its services to people with neurological conditions other than MS, beginning with Parkinson’s Disease. 

Due to its success, the pilot is now being extended and from this month the Centre will also be opening up its services to stroke survivors, too.

Being diagnosed with a neurological condition can be a daunting prospect but the Chilterns MS Centre provides a wide range of treatments and services that support people on their journey, services that go far beyond what the NHS is able to offer. 

These services include physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, counselling, dietician advice, acupuncture, a range of leisure groups, not to mention the provision of a supportive community. All of which help empower people with neurological conditions to live their life to the full.

Over 500 people with MS make use of the services offered by the Wendover-based charity and, since the pilot was launched, over 30 people with Parkinson’s Disease have taken advantage of it.

Stroke survivors can often face the same or similar challenges to people with MS or Parkinson’s so the Centre is keen to use the skills and experience it has built up over its 37-year history to enhance their quality of life too.

“We're really thrilled about the success of the pilot programme so far,” said Amy Smissen, who is the  Head of Integrated Clinical Services at the Chilterns MS Centre. 

She went on to say: “The really positive feedback we’ve been getting from our MS members is being echoed loud and clear by our new Parkinson’s members so we are really thrilled to be able to do more for more people.”

If anyone who has experienced a stroke, or anyone with MS or Parkinson’s, feels they would benefit from the services offered then they should get in touch with the Chilterns MS Centre by phoning 01296 696133.

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The Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique is an educational method for changing long-standing habits of tension.

Practised for in excess of 125 years, the Alexander Technique is a complementary healthcare method effective for back pain, neck pain and Parkinson’s disease.  

The Alexander Technique is an educational method for changing long-standing habits of tension. Research suggests it results in improved movement, balance and overall wellbeing, and findings from three randomised controlled trials show long-term benefits for people with back pain, neck pain and those living with Parkinson’s disease.

Through the Alexander Technique, people learn to recognise and change harmful postural habits. Sessions include simple activities such as standing and sitting lying down or walking and more complex activities such as learning a musical instrument or sports.

But how does it work? 

A scientific model of the Alexander Technique - published in the peer-reviewed journal Kinesiology Review - proposes that changes to postural tone and body schema underlie many of the reported benefits of the Alexander Technique. This model has been animated by science animation experts SciAni, and can be viewed here:- 

The FM Alexander Trust, which commissioned the video animation, raises public awareness and understanding of the Alexander Technique. 

"This short animation introduces some of the latest scientific research into the Alexander Technique in a clear way, and is a valuable resource for professionals working in healthcare, education and for the general public," said Kamal Thapen, Chair of the FM Alexander Trust.

The FM Alexander Trust also hosts a large library of other videos concerning the Alexander Technique which can be accessed online for no cost. These videos give a unique insight into the history and practice of the Alexander Technique.

The animated video is based on the following research paper: ‘Potential Mechanisms of the Alexander Technique: Toward a Comprehensive Neurophysiological Model’ by Timothy W. Cacciatore, Patrick M. Johnson, and Rajal G. Cohen, published in Kinesiology Review 9 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2020-0026.

The website for the FM Alexander Trust is https://alexandertrust.org.uk.

Terebellum, Ireland and UK-based Life Sciences Solutions Provider, Announces Appointments Following Expansion

Floortje van Nooten PhD

Terebellum, a subsidiary of AscellaHealth, which is a global specialty pharmacy and healthcare solutions organisation, has announced the appointment of two executive positions to drive its growth in the UK and EU.

A Vice President of Market Access & Commercialisation and a dedicated Regional Director join Ireland and UK-based Terebellum as it expands and grows its international footprint to offer life sciences expertise throughout Europe.

Craig Caceci, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Terebellum, said: “Accelerated growth has prompted the need to attract additional business development and market access talent to expand our international footprint, as well as build upon our strategic market access, distribution and supply chain experience and expertise gained over the past ten years.”

Newly appointed Vice President of Market Access & Commercialisation, Floortje van Nooten PhD, brings with her almost 20 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Floortje will lead Terebellum’s expansion into the UK and EU, collaborating with marketing leadership on value proposition and messaging strategy, while providing guidance and support on consultative sales strategies and the development of client solutions.

Prior to joining the business Floortje delivered market access value strategies and led the development of reimbursement and pricing strategies across Europe and in the US, as Head of Global Market Access at ProQR.

Floortje also led worldwide market access and pricing strategies and negotiations at Biocryst and Dompé, from product pre-launch through to post-launch, and led global market access and health economics and outcomes research strategies for Astellas.

Victoria Daet MBA

Victoria Daet MBA also joins Terebellum, with a breadth of business development and sales experience across many countries including the UK, Singapore, Thailand and Japan.

As Regional Director, Victoria will identify opportunities within public and private healthcare organisations and develop commercialisation and go-to-market strategies for rare/orphan disease and gene/cell therapy pharmaceutical manufacturers in the EU and UK.

Prior to her appointment, Victoria was the product marketing lead for Singapore-based firm OMG Network, a fintech ICO unicorn, handling product and feature launches and the identification of leads to push into the business development pipeline.

In Japan, Victoria held both business development and executive marketing leadership roles driving sales and growth strategies for Slush, a world leading big-tech conference.

Along with the entire Terebellum leadership team, Floortje and Victoria will apply their broad industry expertise to provide strategic innovation and consultative market access support to pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare organisations.

Craig Caceci adds, “Our commitment to providing innovative solutions to life sciences companies which serve to improve medication access, reduce costs, and enhance clinical outcomes for patients with complex chronic conditions and rare diseases remains consistent.

“The market-leading experience and expertise Floortje and Victoria bring to Terebellum will drive innovation and growth in the programmes, consultation and market access support provided to our partners across the UK and Europe.”

Terebellum’s services include pre-commercialisation and market access support, distribution and fulfilment, supply chain logistics, pharmaceutical financial solutions, and custom clinical and pull-through programmes.

Visit www.terebellumltd.com

Visit www.AscellaHealth.com