HI-TECH medical equipment is being tried out in north Essex, in an effort to give chronically ill patients the chance to monitor their conditions at home.

NHS North East Essex is running a pilot scheme with £100,000 of “telehealth” equipment. It is fitted in patients’ homes and monitors their blood pressure, blood glucose, weight and body temperature.

Nurses can log into the system remotely to keep an eye on how they are doing and receive an early warning if patients’ conditions are deteriorating.

The one-year trial, which begins later this month, will include patients with heart failure, breathing difficulties such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and those recently released from hospital.

Tracey Buckingham, project manager for NHS North East Essex, said: “The pilot scheme will examine how telehealth monitoring could help community nurses manage their caseloads efficiently, and keep patients out of hospital.

“This equipment will be piloted in five different scenarios and settings, to allow us to assess which areas demonstrate the most success.

“Most patients would prefer to remain in their own homes and remote telehealth monitoring gives them the reassurance their condition is being managed during periods of uncertainty.”

She pointed out the machines might also help patients learn more about their conditions, explaining: “It could motivate them to be more involved in self-management of their health.

“There is little doubt remote monitoring will enable lead nurses to manage more patients with fewer visits, and help keep them out of hospital, ensuring an effective use of healthcare resources.

“It’s an exciting project and we’re looking to having all the machines operational and beginning the pilot studies.”

The trust is working with Tunstall Healthcare to install the equipment over the next six months.

It hopes to have 40 units working by September.