A ‘Readiness Dashboard’ has been set up to perform self-automated checks on defibrillators at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, as part of a new project to ensure that the devices are “always ready to be used”.
Following work by the medical electronics team to reconfigure the trust’s 155 defibrillators and link them to a secure network, the Readiness Dashboard can now run an automated check on the devices, immediately highlighting any issues the team and the Resuscitation Services Department.
The trust explains that the project looks to tackle issues with defibrillators which often go unnoticed until they are needed, which can “sometimes be too late”. It is hoped that these automated checks will help them ensure patient safety is not compromised, and that the machines are always ready when needed, potentially enabling them to save more lives.
The next phase of the project will see the dashboard rolled-out across community teams in the region.
Febin Sebastian, acting medical equipment manager, commented: “We wanted to act proactively, as the safety of the patients we deal with is critical, and these changes will also help staff – reducing their daily workload, helping them be more efficient, and reducing human error. Without this system in place, we wouldn’t know a defibrillator wasn’t ready to be used until someone had either done a physical check on them, or when it was needed. We’re very proud of the project, and it is the first step towards using technology like this to improve patient care.”
To learn more about this project, please click here.
Also on automation, London Ambulance Service (LAS) NHS Trust has published its strategy for the next five years, with focus on modernising estate and infrastructure; ensuring that staff have access to digital tools to help them do their jobs; and investing in modern ways of working such as using artificial intelligence and robotic automation.
Just last month, NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) formed a procurement framework worth £250 million including 25 suppliers in order to establish an agreement allowing NHS organisations and public sector bodies to purchase intelligent automation solutions.
