A worldly-wise bus driver who spent years driving Glasgow’sstreets reveals how tomorrow’s-world technology helped him navigate a recent health crisis — not 0from a hospital bed, but from the comfort of his own home.
Norrie Cumming still chuckles when he remembers his days behind the wheel of a Glasgow Corporation bus.
“You had to have a sharp eye, a thick skin and a decent sense of humour,” he says.
“You saw every walk of life — and some things you wouldn’t believe unless you were there!”
A proud former bus driver, Norrie spent years navigating the city’s streets, where his quick wit and no-nonsense charm made him a familiar face to many passengers.
But after years spent inhaling city fumes, the bronchitis he’d suffered since childhood returned with a vengeance, and he was forced to take early retirement.
Now in his seventies and living with COPD, Airdrie man Norrie leads a quieter life with his wife, Tina — though he hasn’t lost his creative spark.
Most days, you’ll find him at his easel, lost in bold strokes and bright colours as he paints his favourite subjects: superheroes and scenes from classic science fiction.
“I’ve always liked imagining other worlds,” he says. “But this year, it was the technology in this world that made all the difference.”
When Norrie suffered a recent COPD exacerbation, his GP referred him to NHS Lanarkshire’s Hospital at Home service — a consultant-led, community-based model of care that provides hospital-level treatment in people’s own homes. The service allows patients to receive treatment surrounded by the comfort of home, rather than enduring a hospital stay.
What made Norrie’s experience different was the addition of a new tool: a virtual ward kit provided through NHS Lanarkshire’s partnership with Doccla.
This small but powerful box of technological tricks allowed Norrie’s vital signs — from blood oxygen levels to blood pressure — to be monitored remotely by clinical staff. It meant he could be safely cared for at home, even between face-to-face visits.
For Norrie, it meant freedom. “I didn’t want to be in hospital again. You’re more than just ill — you’re away from your life,” he says. “With the kit and the Hospital at Home team, I got to stay in my own bed and still get the care I needed. I could keep painting. That meant a lot.”
For Tina, also Norrie’s carer, it brought enormous relief. A former legal secretary who describes herself as “a bit of a dinosaur with technology,” she admits she was initially wary.
“But once it was set up, it made a huge difference,” she said
“I wasn’t left worrying overnight or wondering if I’d spot something going wrong in time. There’s reassurance knowing someone’s watching over his health data every day. Even when the Hospital at Home staff weren’t here in person, I didn’t feel alone.”
Avoiding hospital also reduced Norrie’s risk of infection — a serious concern with his weakened immune system. And for NHS Lanarkshire, the ability to offer seamless, safe care at home reflects a bigger shift: combining human-led community care with cutting-edge technology to provide the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Claire Ritchie, Interim Interface Director of NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Norrie and Tina’s story provides another example of NHS Lanarkshire’s efforts to transform the health and care system.
“Our efforts are being enabled by technology but powered by the compassion and expertise of staff using their shared experience and dedication to guide patients through some of the most vulnerable episodes of their lives.”
Ms Ritchie added: “We are absolutely committed to collaboration, ensuring the best use of our resources – all underpinned by a focus on delivering care centred around the individual’s needs.”
Now back to his brushes, Norrie still lives with COPD — but the acute episode has passed, and he feels stronger for the experience.
“It was brilliant,” he says. “The kit, the people, the way it all worked — I could see it making a real difference for a lot of people.”
