NHS trusts are being held back from further and faster digital
transformation of services by limited budgets, day-to-day
pressures and inadequate IT infrastructure, a new survey by NHS
Providers shows.
Now leaders are calling for a step-change in support to drive the
digital revolution including long-term, sustainable, strategic
investment so they can make the most of new technology.
The survey, Digital transformation
survey 2024: challenges, opportunities and priorities for trust
leaders, found welcome progress has been made
implementing advanced technologies, including electronic patient
records, better cyber security and enhancing staff skills.
But trust leaders warn that their efforts to unlock the potential
of digital to boost productivity and to improve patient safety
and the experiences of staff and service users are hampered by
several barriers. The survey findings include:
- 73% of trust leaders surveyed said funding and financial
constraints were a barrier
- 50% of trust leaders said operational pressures were
affecting clinical engagement, training and technology take-up
- 35% of trust leaders identified poor wi-fi, computers and
other infrastructure problems as a barrier to progress
The survey coincides with the relaunch of NHS Providers' Digital
Boards programme which offers free, tailored support to NHS trust
boards to harness digital opportunities to benefit patients and
staff.
The deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery
said:
“Far too often, outdated NHS technology adds to clinicians'
workloads instead of giving them more time for patients and
hinders, rather than improves efficiency and productivity.
“Digital transformation has huge potential to give patients
better access to their data, better access to care and to ensure
that staff can get the reliable information they need to inform
decision-making and improve quality of care.
“The NHS is under huge strain and chronic underinvestment in
digital technology, particularly in community, mental health and
social care systems, has left a worrying legacy. We need the
government to work with trusts and NHS leaders to remove barriers
and to help the health service transform healthcare.
“Trust leaders are committed to making big digital and data
advances and NHS Providers is supporting them to do just that
through our newly relaunched Digital Boards programme.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- The Digital Boards programme is commissioned by NHS England
as part of their Digital Academy, and delivered in partnership
with Public Digital.
- The survey was conducted in May and June 2024 and we received
185 responses from 134 unique trusts. The team also ran a series
of insight calls with 20 trust leaders alongside the survey,
which contributed to some of the qualitative findings/themes
include in the report. In total, from the combined survey and
insight calls, the report represents views from 140 unique NHS
trusts.
