Supporting the NHS to Tackle the Covid-19 Crisis

The extraordinary speed at which the coronavirus has rocketed around the globe is pushing many of the world’s most extraordinary healthcare systems to the very limit. In response, Philips is mobilising our global resources to meet our triple duty of care: continuing to fulfil critical needs of hospitals and trusts (including the NHS), ensuring the health and safety of our employees, and maintaining business continuity. 

All efforts are being made to flatten the curve of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, while our NHS doctors, nurses and other staff battle with heroic determination to meet this challenge head-on.  

Since the outbreak Philips UK has taken rapid steps to support the NHS so front line carers can urgently treat patients who have contracted the virus. We are holding on-going discussions with the Department of Health and the NHS to identify how we can best support the NHS in its time of need and are now supporting some of the lead hospital trusts overseeing the NHS Nightingale Hospitals, connecting them to their local University Hospital's Philips PACS (Picture Archiving Communications System). The integration of these entities, via these platforms, will provide access to local Clinician and Radiology expertise to facilitate the rapid diagnosis and treatment of affected patients.   

Further, we are developing a series of rapid online training videos to help front line healthcare professionals use our technology as quickly, safely and effectively as possible, as they perform life-saving duties. Our own front line staff of field engineers, application specialists and others are supporting clinicians onsite to keep vital medical systems running as smoothly as possible. I thank them for their commitment and professionalism. As a leading healthcare technology company, we will stand by the NHS in this time of national crisis, so it can focus on its ultimate priority: saving lives.

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*Photo by Sludge G is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0