UK can help India bring best healthcare to smart cities: NHS

The United Kingdom can play a "significant" role in helping India bring the best healthcare solutions to its proposed smart cities, a top functionary of UK's largest healthcare system National Health Service (NHS) said today.
"The UK has developed some of the most innovative healthcare services and systems in the world over the past seven decades of NHS. The UK has an unmatched combination of clinical, technological and academic expertise.
"I hope that our visit will help write a new chapter in the history of India's health services, both in the private sector and in the Union government's ambition to provide universal healthcare. British expertise is ideally placed to play a significant role in helping India bring the best smart healthcare to its Smart Cities programme," NHS chairman Sir Malcolm Grant said here.

Grant, who is leading a high-powered trade mission to India, comprising representatives of 23 British companies and NHS Trusts, will hold talks with key Health Ministry officials and representatives of hospitals of North India.
The delegation, which was at the inauguration of the 'Smart Healthcare Demonstrator' exhibition here today, will also visit Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The visit comes after a bilateral agreement between the UK and India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to the UK where he and his British counterpart David Cameron emphasised on the potential of increased investment and cooperation between the two countries in health-related sectors.

British High Commissioner to India Sir Dominic Asquith KCMG said there are vast opportunities for the two countries to form closer partnerships and the healthcare sector, where the UK is a world leader, exemplifies the potential for greater collaboration.

"Indian government wants to provide universal healthcare and adopt 'smart healthcare' to support sustainable and world-class services for the Indian people.
The delegation represents the UK's ecosystem of
researchers, scientists, engineers, designers, NHS clinicians, and a network of healthcare professionals.
The visit will include showcases on themes such as 'Transforming Hospital and Emergency Care', 'Innovative, Integrated Care Services' and 'Building human capital'.

In New Delhi, Grant will call on senior officials in the Union Health Ministry and hold a roundtable with representatives from leading hospitals in north India, a British High Commission statement said.
In Bengaluru, he will meet top people in the healthcare and life sciences sector like Devi Shetty and leading bio-science companies in the city.
In Mumbai, he will jointly inaugurate an exhibition with Maharashtra Health Minister Deepak Sawant and Pratap Reddy from Apollo Hospitals.
He will discuss strengthening the ties between the UK and Maharashtra in the healthcare sector and also meet private hospitals, innovative companies and hold an interactive session with medical students in Mumbai's King Edward Memorial College.

The delegation will put up exhibits in New Delhi and Mumbai, where they will demonstrate their expertise and knowhow to Indian healthcare providers, hospitals and investors.
They will discuss their innovations and technologies with Indian counterparts and seek opportunities for investments and partnerships, the statement added.