Investment includes provision for free public Wi-Fi in Abertawe Bro Morgannwg hospitals
The Welsh Government has announced a £3.5 million capital funding boost to provide a new Wi-Fi infrastructure for Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU).
It has provided the money as part of its Informed Health and Care digital strategy for health and social care.
The announcement emphasised the potential to support patient care by enabling physicians to access information at patients’ bedsides through the Welsh Clinical portal, and to replace the ageing bleep system with a new emergency alert solution.
But it also said it will gradually provide free public Wi-Fi in all of the ABMU hospitals.
Announcing the funding, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething (pictured) said: “We want modern and effective technology to be used in all care settings in Wales, helping our doctors and nurses provide the best levels of care.
“The benefits of the funding I’m announcing today will be clear to see. Not only will it improve patient care, allowing clinicians to access information about them wirelessly at their bedside, they’ll also be able to stay in touch with friends and loved ones while they are undergoing or recovering from treatment.
“A modern NHS deserves a modern internet infrastructure. We expect nothing less in the 21st century. With the money we are providing to the health board today, ABMU will be able to deliver just that.”
In September, Gething announced an £11.3 million investment into supporting digital technology in healthcare, which included funds for replacing critical infrastructure to support patient services.
Image from Welsh Government, Open Government Licence
