NHS to switch on UK's first 5G hospital

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is working with Virgin Media O2 to switch on the UK's first 5G-connected hospital. The switch-on is part of Maudsley Digital Lab's series of digital health and innovation trials funded by NHS Digital. The trials are investigating the efficiency, safety and security benefits of using smart, 5G-connected technologies in NHS hospitals – including IoT (Internet of Things), AR (Augmented Reality) and AI (Artificial Intelligence). Trials are now live across two wards at Bethlem Royal Hospital in South London. These include dedicated, near-real-time connectivity to power e-Observations, where clinicians use handheld devices to update patient records.