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‘Alder Play’

A new approach to children’s
stay in hospital has been
launched that will revolutionise
patient care at Alder Hey and
across the NHS. Created by
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
and Alder Hey Children’s
Charity in partnership with
leading digital studio ustwo
and designed with the help
of young patients, the Alder
Play app is powered by the
very latest digital and cognitive
advances. It has been
supported by NHS England
and NHS Digital and has great potential to help Shop Direct, Liverpool John Lennon Airport and
other hospitals across the NHS. NHS England. The Alder Play app has only been
made possible through a collaboration of expertise
The app uses gaming and augmented reality to from the health, retail, travel and technology sectors.
distract patients having procedures in hospital.
Young patients choose and name their own avatar Integral to the app’s design and development has
which will help them understand their hospital visit been the opinions and views of children and young
before they arrive and help calm them during their people. Five years ago, seven year old patient
stay. Their avatar ‘pops up’ at various hospital Niamh Barnes suggested to hospital staff the idea
locations during their visit and helps patients collect for an app to be created that would distract children
‘rewards’ following procedures that allows them to like her while they were in hospital. Niamh has
access new content. continued to inspire the app’s developers, alongside
a number of other patients from the hospital’s
Within Alder Play, parents will also be able to Children and Young People’s Forum.
interact with a chatbot called “Ask Oli” to answer
questions about the hospital and what may happen Niamh said “It’s exciting to see the app coming to
to their child during treatment. Alder Hey has been life and providing entertainment for other children
working with the Hartree Centre (part of the UK’s like me. I really like the ‘Ask Oli’ page which is
Science and Technology Facilities Council and really helpful and means kids and parents can ask
supported by IBM), using IBM’s Watson technology questions about their stay in hospital.”
to enable questions to be answered in real time.
This will be the first time cognitive technologies In April 2018, Alder Hey was featured as Apple’s
have been applied in any hospital in the UK, in this App of the day, which is an incredible achievement
way. for any app.

Alder Hey Consultant Dr Nik Barnes, who originated
the idea of Alder Play, explained: “Our vision is to
transform the experience of children in hospital. We
wanted to distract patients during procedures and
reduce their worries and fears. Rewarding children
following procedures and treatments was another
vital element as it helps to encourage their progress.
Rewards can be given for something as simple as
having a dressing changed, to getting out of bed
after an operation or having a scan.”

The Alder Hey app is being supported through the
global digital exemplar programme with funding
being provided by Alder Hey Children’s Charity,

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 18 Annual Report & Accounts 2017/18