The rise of the digital age means that more of us than ever are beginning to integrate smart technology into our homes to make our lives safer and easier.

This is putting pressure on landlords and housing associations in the UK rental market to stay up to date with the latest trends so they can reduce vacancy rates and capture quality housing tenants.

As well as tenants beginning to demand even more for their money, it has also been found that demand for private rentals and rentals through housing associations schemes has risen.

How are tenant demands changing?

Landlords and property management businesses are now expected to provide the clearest, cleanest tenant experience possible. This includes increasing ease of access to services such as property maintenance, rental payment records and community engagement through the development of innovative online platforms.

Furthermore, those who support vulnerable people through housing solutions are being called upon to integrate new technologies that can assist an ageing population, as well as those with disabilities and mobility issues so that potential health deterioration can be monitored and treated faster where required.

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Tragically, suicide has been established as the leading cause of death among young people between 15 and 24 years of age. As a result, student mental health is now becoming a massive focus across higher education facilities.

Education professionals are having to adapt their working methods to not only provide the best care and education possible in the classroom, but the best standard of care for their students whilst they are outside of the classroom too.

Duty of care to students is becoming a larger demand on the time and resources of schools and universities and this is a good thing!

In the last year, the number of students reporting mental health problems has risen by an astonishing 390%.

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General practice is facing a serious crisis. A lack of investment, increased demand and poor staff retention have put the profession under unprecedented pressure.

Earlier this year, the British Social Attitudes survey revealed that public satisfaction with GP services was at its lowest level since records began.

But while delegates at the Primary Care Conference could agree that times are tough, there was also a note of optimism as medical experts discussed how to turn a crisis into an opportunity.

Could these turbulent times be the catalyst for much-needed disruption and innovation?

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Using artificial intelligence to analyse large datasets could shape the future of the NHS patient care, according to leading experts in healthcare technology.

Delegates at the Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Conference heard how clinicians can use algorithms to quickly analyse vast amount of patient data to predict health outcomes.

“If we bring together all the data that we use, then soon we could be able predict with a reasonable certainty whether someone is going to have diabetes later in life, for example,” said Daniel Hallen, head of digital technology for NHS in England (North).

“It’s rapidly developing as we start to develop new technologies, things like Fitbits and those sort of things that are able to do an awful lot more. What would have required a super computer to do in the past, can now be done in a handheld device. We are on the cusp of something really exciting.”

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Training safeguarding professionals to recognise the risk factors of FGM is key to eradicating the practice in the UK within a generation.

Delegates attended Salford Professional Development’s FGM Conference to hear social workers, campaigners and FGM survivors discuss the latest work to protect vulnerable young girls who may be at risk.

The NHS recorded more than 5,000 new cases of FGM in 2017 alone. Despite this, in the three decades since FGM was made a criminal offence no one has ever been convicted.

“There are so many things in the media at the moment about FGM, some of it is positive around some of the great work that is being done, but there are so many different voices,” said Leethen Bartholomew, head of the National FGM Centre.

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Physiotherapists are well placed to influence patient behaviour and shift the NHS towards a more prevention based model of care according to Public Health England.

Speaking at the Physiotherapy Conference 2018, Linda Hindle, PHE’s lead for allied health professionals, explained the importance of making every patient contact count.

“If you look at the news pretty much any day you couldn’t fail to notice that the health and social care system is under serious pressure,” she said.

“If we don’t radically change the way we provide care then the future of the whole system will be at risk.

“Focusing on prevention is one of the changes that is central to this, and it’s a core part of the NHS Five Year Forward View.”

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More than 30 years after female genital mutilation (FGM) was made illegal in the UK, thousands of new cases of this cruel and dangerous practice are still reported every year. In 2017 alone, the NHS recorded more than 5,000 new cases.

Despite this, in the three decades since FGM was made a specific crime, only two cases have ever reached court and no one has ever been convicted of the offence. These statistics underline the argument that legislation alone is not enough to achieve the goal of eradicating FGM by 2030.

The FGM Conference 2018 will explore how only multi-agency co-operation and community engagement can bring FGM to an end. Calling on the experiences of campaigners, healthcare practitioners and FGM survivors, this event is invaluable for anyone working in a role with safeguarding responsibilities.

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Dr Umesh Prabhu, a former medical director and adviser for international recruitment, explains how staff wellbeing and patient safety are “two sides of the same coin”.

Health is the wealth of a nation.

Every country needs a healthy population to work and support the economy, and hence every country has a duty to provide the safest and the best healthcare to every citizen.

The NHS and the social care system are true British icons and I am so proud of these two great institutions.

Staff are the best asset that the NHS has and we must make sure staff happiness, staff engagement and staff wellbeing are treated with the same importance as patient safety and care quality.

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Dementia patients and their carers have a vital role to play in shaping the way people living with the disease are treated, supported and cared for.

Delegates at the Salford Institute for Dementia Conference 2018 heard how the institute, working closely with dementia associates in the community, is pioneering new approaches to caring for those experiencing cognitive decline.

The institute brings together expertise from the fields of environment, creativity, robotics, technology and service improvement to find solutions centred around the individual. Conference delegates heard from people experiencing dementia, their carers and leading experts.

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A total of 467,095 deaths are recorded in England every year, with this figure expected to reach 600,000 by 2040. Despite this projected increase in demand, only 11 out of the 44 sustainability and transformation partnerships have listed end of life care as a strategic priority.

Delegates attended Salford Professional Development’s Palliative Care Conference to discuss how the health and social care sectors can adapt to this challenge by providing more end of life services in the community.

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