Coffee House

Beyond the stethoscope: transforming the NHS with new technology

For technology manufacturers, healthcare is already big business, and, with an ageing population increasingly comfortable with technologies that would’ve been unthinkable even a decade ago, the opportunities to innovate are only going to increase. The Future Health Index, a global report commissioned by Philips, supports the fact that it is not just the UK’s younger generation that are embracing these technologies. However are these products – from popular or trendy FitBits to state-of-the-art imaging equipment – really going to revolutionise the country’s medical care? And will the NHS require a head to toe change of ethos to accommodate them? Spectator editor Fraser Nelson is joined to discuss all this by Neil Mesher, CEO of Philips UK and Ireland, Professor Tony Young, Director of Innovation for NHS England, and Tara Donnelly, Chief Executive of the Health Innovation Network.

Coffee House

Are we doing enough to secure Britain’s digital future?

Coffee House

Are we doing enough to secure Britain’s digital future?

The UK’s digital economy represents nearly one third of the UK economy, and if nurtured properly, it could transform government, society and culture. But are we doing enough to secure Britain’s digital future – and if not, what more can be done? This was the topic discussed by politicians and financial and technology experts at a recent Spectator dinner, hosted by Mastercard. One of the main topics of conversation was around British start-ups and the investment opportunities available in the UK. Jeremy Silver, CEO of the Digital Catapult, has built and sold two technology businesses in the past fifteen years – selling both of them to American tech companies. That’s not through choice, however. ‘I’d much rather have sold them to British companies’, he said, ‘but I couldn’t find one who would buy them.

Coffee House

Could Brexit be sweet? The British beet sugar industry after the European Union

Coffee House

Could Brexit be sweet? The British beet sugar industry after the European Union

With Britain's exit from the European Union looming and no sign of trading instructions from Downing Street, Britain's domestic producers and exporters are still in the dark as to whether Brexit will free them up or tie them down. Sugar is one of these sectors, but, with British sugar beet farmers already providing over half of the country's supply, Brexit could be very sweet for their industry. What opportunities might deregulation afford? And will Britain get a seat at the global sugar industry's top table? Spectator editor Fraser Nelson is joined to discuss all this and much more by Paul Kenward, managing director of British Sugar, Michael Sly, farmer and NFU Sugar Board and Philip de Pass of London Sugar Group representing LDC (Least Developed Countries)/ ACP (African and Caribbean Pacific States) countries.

Coffee House

Will Philip Hammond’s Budget reveal the truth behind the Surrey ‘sweetheart deal’?

Coffee House

Will Philip Hammond’s Budget reveal the truth behind the Surrey ‘sweetheart deal’?

Isabel Hardman has been investigating the social care issue in Surrey for the Spectator in recent days. Yesterday, she spoke to the man whose texts Jeremy Corbyn quoted at PMQs today, the leader of Surrey County Council, David Hodge. Isabel and Hodge spoke just after Tory-run Surrey County Council had made the decision not to hold a referendum on a 15 per cent council tax increase to pay for social care. He told Isabel that ‘we have always believed that there was a way forward which wouldn’t involve a council tax referendum and I genuinely believe that the government now understands the scale of the crisis’. Hodge seems to think that from the Prime Minister down, the government is now taking the issue more seriously, ‘I think that the government are listening and the Prime Minister understands.

Tuesday

Beyond the stethoscope: transforming the NHS with new technology

Beyond the stethoscope: transforming the NHS with new technology

Monday

Are we doing enough to secure Britain’s digital future?

Are we doing enough to secure Britain’s digital future?

Thursday

Could Brexit be sweet? The British beet sugar industry after the European Union

Could Brexit be sweet? The British beet sugar industry after the European Union

Wednesday

Will Philip Hammond’s Budget reveal the truth behind the Surrey ‘sweetheart deal’?

Will Philip Hammond’s Budget reveal the truth behind the Surrey ‘sweetheart deal’?