Four-fifths of NHS trust leaders in England have said they do not have sufficient funds to meet their ambitions in digital transformation.
NHS Providers – the membership body for health service organisations – has highlighted the issue as one of those to emerge from its survey on the outlook following the Government’s financial reset of the NHS.
The overall picture to emerge from 160 responses of senior officials is one of anxieties about the prospect of halve the growth of corporate costs.
Among the questions asked was whether trusts and systems have sufficient funding to invest in digital transformation, to which 81% disagreed, 9% were neutral and only 10% agreed to any extent.
In addition, 86% said they are likely to have to cut jobs in non-clinical teams, which would include digital, and large proportions either scaling back services (47%) or considering the move (43%), with virtual wards identified as among those at risk.
Hindering the shift
The responses have raised questions about trusts’ confidence in their ability to deliver the Government’s desired shift from analogue to digital in the delivery of healthcare.
The survey also revealed that 37% of trusts are considering cutting clinical posts, 60% are not confident they will have the funds to create a positive environment for staff and patients, and 57% fear they will not be able to give patients timely access to care.
Interim chief executive of NHS Providers Saffron Cordey said: "Trust leaders have heard loud and clear that overspending will not be tolerated and have made major inroads in tackling the huge financial deficit facing the NHS.
"But let's also be clear: cuts have consequences. NHS trusts face competing priorities of improving services for patients and boosting performance while trying to balance the books with ever tighter budgets. National leaders must appreciate that makes a hard job even harder.”
