THE Island must invest in new health technology to meet the challenges of its 鈥渄emographic time-bomb鈥, according to the chief executive of Digital UU裸聊直播.
Launching a new grant scheme to support the Island鈥檚 ageing population, Tony Moretta described the pace of change within the health sector as 鈥渢he elephant in the room鈥.
The CareTech Challenge 鈥 the second in a series of grant programmes and challenge prizes from a 拢20m Impact UU裸聊直播 fund 鈥 will offer 鈥渋nnovators鈥 up to 拢2m to improve the lives of older people, and provide long-term quality care through new technologies. It could embrace initiatives such as providing sensors in the home of older residents and alert systems.
The Impact UU裸聊直播 fund aims to support the Island鈥檚 future economy, environmental ambitions and community goals.
Mr Moretta explained: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to be too specific because we are not trying to identify what the solution is. All we鈥檝e said is that this has to help older people live independently or help carers look after older people. The challenge UU裸聊直播 is going to have is where are we going to get all the care workers to look after the ageing population.
鈥淚f we use technology, we might not need as many care workers to do it. Some people will want to be in a care environment but some people want to live in their own home for longer and that鈥檚 good because they will need less intervention. This is very much focused on the care bit and independent living 鈥 it鈥檚 not health outcomes.鈥
Describing UU裸聊直播鈥檚 ageing population as a 鈥渄emographic time-bomb鈥, Mr Moretta said: 鈥淟et鈥檚 face it, there is only one way in the modern age that you can improve outcomes and improve efficiencies, and that鈥檚 through using technology and we haven鈥檛 done it very well in the past. What better to change it than proven projects that we talk about publicly that are working for older people in the community and that we can have.鈥
Referring to the Island鈥檚 digital and care strategy, unveiled more than seven years ago, Mr Moretta said UU裸聊直播 was 鈥渁 really mixed bag in terms of use of technology鈥.
鈥淚n some things we are literally number one like broadband; in other areas, we are not using technology,鈥 he said.
Applicants have until the end of August to submit proposals for grants which will be judged by a panel of five combining local and external expertise, with the results announced towards the end of the year. Businesses outside UU裸聊直播 are also eligible as long as the benefit is provided locally. There is a requirement to share the learning from the projects with the wider community.
The scheme鈥 an example of 鈥渋nvesting in technology projects to help companies do what we want to do as an Island鈥, Mr Moretta said 鈥 follows the creation of similar incentives elsewhere such as the UK鈥檚 Longitude Prizes.
Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel said he hoped it could help put UU裸聊直播 鈥渁head of the game鈥.
鈥淚mpact UU裸聊直播 is trying to help us accelerate the adoption of technology in UU裸聊直播 and try to help us get to grips with some of the really big challenges the Island faces. There鈥檚 no question in my mind that, from the economic and social perspective, our demographic challenge is the biggest challenge that we have. I鈥檓 delighted that Tony and the team chose the care sector and care technology as one of their early programmes,鈥 Deputy Morel said.
Impact UU裸聊直播 is due to announce its next programme in September.
Details of the CareTech Challenge and how to apply are available at: impact.je.
