17 February 2023 , 00:01
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The NHS is making “inadequate” progress in becoming more digital, experts warn.
The health service fails to use digital tools well across key areas including patient care.
A report also raises concerns about there being no clear plan for keeping patients’ data private - and says the roll-out of the NHS app as “required improvement”
A government policy paper published last year said digitisation is essential to having improved and better integrated health and social care services.
But the expert panel said its rating “casts doubt” on Health Secretary Steve Barclay’s ability to ensure health services have “the digital foundations they need to meet the challenges they face”.
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It also found that social care was often missed out in commitments, “stifling progress across the health and care system”.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)The panel concluded that ministers’ ambition to digitise the NHS “will not succeed without an effective workforce strategy to train, recruit and retain sufficient specialised digital staff”.
Panel chairwoman Professor Dame Jane Dacre said: “What is particularly disappointing is that the Government recognises that the digitisation of the NHS is essential to bring about real benefits to patients… Yet time and again, promises have been made but not delivered, hampering wider progress.
“Worryingly, we have seen no clear plan for how the Government will address public and provider concerns regarding sharing personal data, which is crucial to address in order for this to be successful.”
She added: “The aspirations to transform the NHS, supported by the right digital foundations, are to be applauded, however, our report finds evidence mainly of opportunities missed.”
The Health and Social Care Committee established the expert panel to conduct independent evaluations of Government healthcare commitments.
Tory MP Steve Brine, chair of the committee, said: “Integration of the NHS with social care services is vital so it is concerning that these care settings appear to be frequently overlooked.
“The Panel’s detailed work provides evidence of the Government’s overall ‘inadequate’ approach to its commitments to digitise the NHS and will feed into the Committee’s work, shaping the recommendations we make to Ministers.”
A Department of Health spokesman said: “Technology is transforming the way we use the NHS – we have already met the target to have 68% of adults in England registered with the NHS App by March 2023 and are firmly on track to have 75% of adults registered by 2024.
“A host of new features were introduced in 2022 – many patients are now able to view and manage their hospital appointments, receive notifications from their GPs, and book Covid vaccine appointments on the app.”
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