Definition Health partners with NHS North Cumbria Integrated Care

Definition Health has partnered with NHS North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC), one of the largest and most rural trusts in England, to digitise its surgical pathways for all adult elective patients. On Tuesday, 12 July, NCIC went live with Definition LifeBox, a digital pre-operative health assessment app that will electronically pre-assess the 30,000 surgical patients annually at its two acute hospitals, West Cumberland and Cumberland Infirmary. Additionally, plans are underway to introduce Definition Recovery, which will support patients at home following surgery.

NCIC successfully secured funding from the NHS Elective Recovery Technology Fund to invest in LifeBox, ensuring that all patients entering surgical pathways from the launch date will be digitally pre-assessed.LifeBox allows patients to complete their pre-assessment questionnaire online, from the comfort of their home, using their mobile phone, tablet, or computer. Two-way file sharing between the Trust and the patient ensures secure exchange of vital information, such as test results, medications, and preoperative advice. Patients also have access to high-quality educational resources on anaesthesia and surgery, well ahead of their procedures.

For the small percentage of patients (approximately 5-10%) who may struggle with technology, they can nominate a family member, carer, or advocate via the Digital Assist function, or receive support from NCIC’s pre-assessment nurse team.

The driving force behind the project, Dr Quentin Kingsbury, the Trust’s Pre-assessment Lead, said: “This has been a really exciting project to work on, one that will bring real change and improvements to patient care across North Cumbria. LifeBox is incredibly patient-focused, which is its key strength. It’s easy to use, the graphics are simple, and patients can revisit the tailored education videos at their convenience. This will empower patients, leading to better engagement in their care and ultimately better outcomes.”

Switching to a digital process will also benefit North Cumbrian patients by reducing hospital appointments and travel—particularly significant given the Trust’s rural setting, with a footprint spanning from beyond Carlisle in the north to Barrow-in-Furness in the south, a distance of about 100 miles. Definition Health has worked closely with Dr Kingsbury and the Trust’s pre-assessment nurses, administrators, and digital teams over the past six months, conducting regular training sessions leading up to the LifeBox launch.

Sandeep Chauhan, Orthopaedic Surgeon and Co-founder of Definition Health, added: “We are delighted to have partnered with NCIC to introduce our digital solutions. Our apps have been nationally recognised as essential to supporting the NHS’s post-pandemic recovery. We are confident that NCIC will see improved patient experiences and decision-making, leading to better surgical outcomes.”