Professor David Keegan:

I thank the Senator very much for his question. After this question, I would like to invite my colleagues who have also prepared a few words to speak. The VACO was initially proposed through the health insurance networks in the US in approximately 2014 for how they would reduce costs across that, but it provided a framework for an integrated care model. The King's Fund, which is the health think-tank in the UK, sort of latched on to this as a potential model. It is looking at this in the same timeline we are to deploy it across the region. Therefore, we are sort of running at the same timescale with respect to this. Much like we are seeking to do here, the UK has adapted that original US model to create that integrated care.

The model is based on those principles of shift left, collaboration and virtual clinics so that we can access patients' data without repeating tests. That was really the driving force in the US where patients were being internally referred in the system, tests were being repeated and patients were having multiple visits. Therefore, that eliminates that piece. In the UK, which is on the similar Covid-19 restoration and transformation journey we are, as part of our EVSA, we made a really good presentation for Ms Melanie Hingorani, who is the transformation lead in the UK. It is on the same journey as us. It is looking at the VACO system already and seeking to deploy it. As regards results from that the UK, however, its timelines are the same as ours.