The promise of a digitally revolutionised NHS has been made many times. It seems now the Government and the NHS are aligned, making strides towards this goal, whilst trying to overcome the complexities and scale challenges. However, to take the next step towards digitalisation, the NHS must push a cultural shift.
Next generation NHS
Recognising the need to push its digital aspirations forward, NHSX was formed early this year to focus on digital, data and technology. Health Secretary Matt Hancock has high hopes for this new body, stating: “This is just the beginning of the tech revolution, building on our Long Term Plan to create a predictive, preventative and unrivalled NHS.”
Still in its infancy, NHSX holds promise of what is to come for our health service. Individual Trusts are at various stages of their digital journeys, but acknowledge that a modernised, digital service is required to meet the demands of our future health needs.
The future is a next generation NHS that is an innovative, digitality-focused organisation, which optimises patient focused technology to enhance service and operational ability.
Digital cultural shift
There has been a visible digital cultural shift in the way in which the NHS views technology. As recently as ten years ago, digital resources were considered to be functional, and installed to perform a specific role and operated in silos.
Technology today is more strategic and is used as a vital method to deliver efficiencies and patient experience, with systems that offer integration across platforms and automation of administrative tasks, which should not require human intervention.
BDS Solutions works closely with Trusts to build bridges across existing platforms, ensuring administration is limited and systems can communicate with one another. With more than 25 years’ experience as an NHS technology partner, BDS Solutions has unique and expert insight on the evolution of the digital NHS story.
Helping Trusts to migrate software and platforms or integrate BDS Solutions’ Directory Manager software, building connections between systems to manage identity and access management effectively is what BDS does best. Navigating this digital world is complex for the NHS, with multiple siloed systems, operated by a vast number of users, on an incredibly large scale.
The NHS is changing, and the culture is becoming more digitally-focused. Of course, there are many hurdles to overcome, but with NHSX being a driving force in the push towards a fully digitised NHS, developing best practice for using technology and ensuring that systems across health and social care can talk to each other, should become the norm.
Employees are used to a digital world, where technology enhances services and the effectiveness of their role, so the culture shift should be well received if effectively managed.
A new wave of digitalisation is coming to the NHS and this vision can only be successful with partnerships that understand the technology, the changing NHS requirements, and the need to embrace the possibilities of a digital NHS.