Connectivity for telemedicine delivery with the NHS

Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, a large proportion of healthcare services, from GP visits and routine checkups to mental health services and specialist outpatient appointments have shifted online. But with 17% of UK households (Ofcom, Connected Nations Report, 2019) still without fixed broadband at home, the negative impact of Covid-19 is likely to be felt even more amongst the country’s lowest-income and most vulnerable people, those who are least likely to be connected at home. 

Get Box

In partnership with Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust and AbilityNet, a digital skills training specialist, Jangala is piloting a program to ensure that people can access mental health counselling during lockdown and beyond. 

We are doing this by providing accessible Get Boxes to vulnerable people who have been unable to access scheduled mental health services through clinic because of a lack of internet access. 

This initial trial has enabled 5 individuals identified by the clinic to receive Get Boxes, devices, and digital skills training to access online counselling sessions with their clinicians. AbilityNet are providing on-call digital skills support through its volunteer network, with individuals paired with expert volunteers trained by Jangala and the clinic. 

People taking part in this project are experiencing complex and severe mental health problems, connected to their experience as refugees or past trauma.  The heightened social isolation caused by lockdown is a worst-case scenario for people already struggling. One participant, who had no connectivity at home and could only access it through a neighbour said the following:

“[Connectivity is…] extremely important because it [...] stops isolation, and it’s better for mental health to be connected. General entertainment stops you from feeling down.”

Organisations: Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, AbilityNet, Helpforce, Asda

Location: London, UK

Deployment date: December 2020