Dr Malcolm J. Fisk is Co-Director of the Ageing Society Grand Challenge Initiative, Coventry University.
Malcolm Fisk led the European Commission funded ‘TeleSCoPE’ project that developed the European Code of Practice for Telehealth Services. This code, completed this year, now provides a quality benchmark by which services can be assessed and accredited. Reassurance is, therefore, given for users, carers, commissioners, policy makers and other stakeholders. Assessments for code compliance are undertaken independently by DNV Healthcare.
Importantly, the scope of telehealth services within the Code is wide. It includes telecare, health coaching, medication support and other domains as well as vital-signs monitoring. It is, therefore, as much concerned with public and preventative health as it is with clinical health. Building on this work Malcolm is active within the European Innovation Partnership for Active and Healthy Ageing (B3 Group) regarding the telehealth related skills and knowledge needs for health and social care staff.
Malcolm is widely published in relation to telehealth, telecare, older people and disability. His work is practice-oriented and reflects his commitment to people’s empowerment and inclusion. Up to 2009 Malcolm was the government appointed Chair of the National Partnership Forum for Older People in Wales (he currently has an advisory role on anti-poverty matters with the Welsh Government). He is an expert member of the Quality Standards Advisory Committee of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE); is a member of the Design for All Working Group of ANEC, the European consumer voice in standardisation; and of the Advisory Group of the West Midlands Health Information Network.