{"id":4235,"date":"2017-11-27T20:01:23","date_gmt":"2017-11-27T20:01:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sirona-cic.org.uk\/\/children-services\/?p=4235"},"modified":"2026-02-09T13:55:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:55:16","slug":"discover-handi-app","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sirona-cic.org.uk\/children-services\/discover-handi-app\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover the Handi App"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” bg_color=”#a63a75″ scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”right” top_padding=”3%” bottom_padding=”4%” color_overlay=”#a63a75″ overlay_strength=”1″ enable_shape_divider=”true” shape_divider_position=”bottom” shape_divider_height=”40″ bg_image_animation=”none” parallax_bg=”true” parallax_bg_speed=”medium” shape_type=”curve_opacity”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” el_class=”textleft” width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][split_line_heading]\n

Discover the Handi App<\/h1>\n[\/split_line_heading][vc_raw_html]JTNDc2NyaXB0JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUlMjglMjclM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyNyUyMCUyQiUyMGRvY3VtZW50LnJlZmVycmVyJTIwJTJCJTIwJTI3JTIyJTNFUmV0dXJuJTIwdG8lMjBwcmV2aW91cyUyMHBhZ2UlM0MlMkZhJTNFJTI3JTI5JTNCJTBBJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”10″][vc_custom_heading text=”NEWS” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left|color:%23ffffff” use_theme_fonts=”yes” css_animation=”fadeInUp” el_class=”sidetitle”][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ font_color=”#ffffff” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”fade-in”][vc_column_text]View All<\/a><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”70″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” full_screen_row_position=”middle” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none” shape_type=””][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”2\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Antibiotics are essential to treat serious bacterial infections, such as meningitis, pneumonia and sepsis, but they are frequently being used to treat illnesses, such as coughs, earache and sore throats that can get better by themselves. \u00a0 To help parents understand more about the most common infections, how they can be treated and if they need antibiotics, Musgrove Park Hospital has developed the Handi app in 2015 (which is free to download from the App Store and Google Play). \u00a0 It\u2019s aimed at parents, but it also gives advice to health professionals on a range of conditions, from diarrhoea and vomiting, to chestiness and newborn problems. \u00a0 After selecting one of the conditions, the app takes you through a series of questions to understand your symptoms. The app either gives self-care advice or recommends seeing a GP or other healthcare professional if appropriate. \u00a0 It has been adopted by eight healthcare trusts in the region, with another three lined up and has been used more than 64,000 times. \u00a0 Joanne Clarke, Sirona\u2019s Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist, said: \u201cThis app is a great tool for parents to use when their children are unwell. Sirona supports the use of this app to provide parents with practical information about what to do if their child is unwell. \u00a0Antibiotics are ineffective for viral infections and as a community we need to be ensuring they are only used when necessary.\u201d \u00a0 Sarah Bridges, and Amy Whiting, consultant paediatricians at Musgrove developed the app to empower parents to provide information about common childhood illnesses in an easily accessible form. \u00a0 Sarah said: \u201cWe know taking antibiotics encourages harmful bacteria that live inside you to become resistant. That means that antibiotics may not work when you really need them. \u00a0 \u201cIt is estimated that at least 5,000 deaths are caused every year in England because antibiotics no longer work for some infections and this figure is set to rise with experts predicting that in just over 30 years antibiotic resistance will kill more people than cancer and diabetes combined. \u00a0 \u201cThe Handi Paediatric app provides self-care advice to help families manage their children\u2019s symptoms. \u00a0 \u201cWe know it can be a difficult decision for parents whether or not to take their children to A&E, and unfortunately they often end up there as they aren\u2019t sure what else to do. \u00a0 \u201cWe hope the HANDi paediatric app gives them more confidence in dealing with the more minor conditions themselves at home.\u201d \u00a0 \u201cFamilies are also able to see the GP and hospital guidelines for more particular symptoms.\u201d \u00a0 Parents should always trust their doctor, nurse or pharmacist\u2019s advice as to when they need antibiotics and if they are prescribed, take antibiotics as directed and never save them for later use or share them with others. \u00a0 Chaam Klinger, Consultant for Public Health England said: \u00a0 \u201cAs a parent, I know how difficult it is when a child is ill and you will pretty much do anything to try and help them. It can be very tempting to go to the GP and ask for antibiotics. However, I would urge parents to think twice as the long term consqeunces of using antibiotics for viral infections such as colds, sore throats and ear infections could be devasting. \u00a0 \u201cWe want to make sure that we all help keep antibiotics working for serious infections such as sepsis, meningitis and pneumonia. \u00a0 \u201cThere are some great resources in the region for parents to use to help understand a bit more about when antibiotics should be used. We are not asking parents to stop taking children to the GP for expert advice but we want to ask them to trust the GPs advice as home care and over the counter remedies may be the right treatment. \u00a0 \u201cPharmacists, NHS choices website and 111 are also other great places to look up common aliments.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”50″][\/vc_column][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/3″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Post published: 27th November 2017<\/strong><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][image_with_animation image_url=”3573″ alignment=”” animation=”Fade In” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”50″][vc_row_inner column_margin=”default” text_align=”left”][vc_column_inner column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” el_class=”newsside” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default” custom_height=”20″][vc_custom_heading text=”News” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][divider line_type=”Full Width Line” line_thickness=”1″ divider_color=”default” custom_height=”10″][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”10″][vc_column_text]
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