A committee of MPs has urged the Government to ensure the digital transformation of the NHS involves a twin track approach that includes the retention of non-digital services.
The Health and Social Care Committee has published a report on the broad issue that also says the Government should learn from mistakes of the past.
It says there are reasons for optimism in the approach taken to digital transformation, but there are currently serious shortcomings with some parts of the NHS lacking basic IT equipment, and that previous efforts have been thwarted by out-of-date legacy IT. There are also problems with a shortage of skilled IT professionals.
The report includes a warning that the Government’s plans involve a heavy reliance on the NHS App, but there is still a need for NHS England to clearly demonstrate its value or risk a dop in the number of sign-ups.
Need for engagement
It adds that: “Without wider staff engagement, digital transformation risks being perceived as an unwelcome, time consuming imposition on an already over-stretched workforce. Co-producing digital initiatives with staff – including, but not limited to clinicians – is essential to ensure that these offer improvements to existing working practices and problems.
“The Government must ensure that those working in the NHS have the time and headspace to engage with digital transformation.”
It also points to the danger of some people being left behind due to digital exclusion. This prompts the recommendation that non-digital channels should remain available as the digital offer is implemented.
Other recommendations include that NHS England and the Department for Health and Social Care:
- promote the benefits of the NHS App to the public;
- introduce a comprehensive accreditation scheme for third party healthcare apps;
- support the Hewitt Review’s recommendation for a standards framework to support the interoperability of digital systems;
- implement the Digital, Data and Technology Pay Framework to build up the skills capability;
- and invest in the wider workforce’s digital skills, in social as well as healthcare.
Optimism and challenges
Steven Brine MP, chair of the committee, said: “We find reason for optimism in the government’s approach to the digital transformation of the NHS. We know that the NHS app was hugely successful during the pandemic and the government has big plans for it to do more to bring real benefits to patients.
“However, there are major challenges to overcome. On a visit to the US, we saw digital patient records being used seamlessly in hospitals. Here, it can take more than 15 minutes for a clinician to turn on a PC because kit is outdated. The lack of skilled digital professionals is a further barrier. Until the NHS can offer higher salaries to compete with the private sector, it won’t be able to attract the people to deliver the transformation that’s needed to run a modern health service.
“The long term sustainability of the health service depends on getting this right but there will be people who decide that digital services are not for them, and we are clear that they should not find themselves excluded by future developments.”
