Opinion Article by Prof. Michael Thick, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Clinical Information Officer, IMS MAXIMS
Reading the NHS Long Term Plan this week, I had a definite sense of déjà vu. And that's not just because we have seen similar plans in the past.

We have, of course, but this plan is still of interest and welcome. I think everybody would be very surprised if itwere to last ten-years, but it’s good to have a clearly articulated vision for the service and where the technology should go.

The Yorkshire & Humber AHSN (Academic Health Science Network), in partnership with mHabitat, announces that applications for the 2019 Propel@YH digital health accelerator programme are now open. Propel@YH has been launched to provide innovative organisations developing digital health solutions with access to a structured course of support and advice aimed at helping its business cohort to navigate the NHS, whilst enabling accelerated company growth and increased market presence.

Digital health consultancy Populo Consulting has secured Cyber Essentials Plus certification, in a move that demonstrates its commitment to operating to the same high standards as its NHS clients.

Cyber Essentials Plus is a scheme developed by the National Cyber Security Centre, which builds on the Cyber Essentials programme.

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced Azurion with FlexArm, to set a new standard for patient imaging and positioning flexibility for image-guided procedures.

During increasingly complex interventions, clinicians need to quickly and easily visualize critical anatomy and identify changes to the patient during the procedure.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced the ten startups that will be joining the seventh intake of its Accelerator program at the Merck Innovation Center in Darmstadt. The teams come from nine different countries, making 2019 the most international intake in the Merck Accelerator's history. They were chosen from a total of 565 applications, coming from startups based in 68 countries across the world.

One of the largest healthcare organisations in Europe has implemented Orion Health Medicines to provide its clinicians a more complete and up-to-date list of the medications their patients are taking. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) has just completed a roll-out at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and is now using the system for medicines reconciliation across 11 hospital sites, so doctors can have a more complete picture of the medications a patient is taking when they are admitted.

Highland Marketing has revitalised its advisory board of respected health tech professionals with the election of a chair and the appointment of two new members.

Jeremy Nettle, a past chair of the tech UK healthcare group and former European director for Oracle Corporation Healthcare, has become chair.