In October 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care launched an open call for comment on ideas for change within health and care as part of the 10 Year Health Plan. Since then, over 11,000 ideas have been put forward, with the most liked suggestion focusing on the accessibility of digital records.
Posted by Ben Bradley, the idea suggests that “records from ALL hospitals should be available to view at ALL GP surgeries” and currently has 2,216 upvotes, the highest for an idea suggested so far, and 98 comments. Many of these comments echo the same sentiments, with others suggesting that interoperability should extend to all NHS providers, not just GP practices.
One commenter, said: “As lab staff, I can attest that the lack of widely available digital records is both infuriating and potentially dangerous.”
Another respondent, said: “As a nurse, I can tell you this drives all of us mad. Live 1/2 a mile outside the catchment area? I have to email the referral and follow up with a phone call. Live inside the catchment area? I use the internal system and receive an automatic notification that it’s been sent.” They added that they use “10 systems which don’t talk to one another! Absolute madness and takes us away from actually caring for our patients.”
Other ideas in the top 10 most liked by the public include the introduction of an online booking system as well as a desire for a national IT system. The forum is still open for participation, so if you want to submit your own ideas or learn more about the many different suggestions, click here.
Digital change and transformation across health and care
One of HTN’s January panel discussions focused on the role of digital in supporting NHS reform – modernising services, shifting from hospital to community, and supporting the move from reactive to proactive care. We welcomed Dawn Greaves, associate director of digital transformation at Leeds Community Healthcare; Ananya Datta, associate director of primary care digital delivery at South East London ICS; and Stuart Stocks, lead enterprise architect with Aire Logic. Panel members shared their insight and experience from a wide range of digital projects, highlighting what worked well and their learnings; how their organisations are currently tackling key challenges such as capacity and demand, and managing waiting lists; and balancing risk with innovation.
We were also joined by experts from across the primary care sector to debate how general practice, PCNs, and ICBs can utilise data and leverage technology to support operational efficiencies and improvements across primary care. Panellists included Kathryn Salt, assistant director of primary & community care, data and analytics for the Transformation Directorate, NHS England; Dr Shanker Vijayadeva, GP lead, digital transformation for the London region at NHS England; Dr Sheikh Mateen Ellahi, GP and practice partner at ELM Tree Surgery and South Stockton Primary Care Network; and Max Gattlin, digital consultant at X-on Health.
As part of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust’s January 2025 board meeting, key updates were shared regarding upcoming digital transformation and digital services. Opening with a response to the NHS Change consultation, the trust shared hopes for the 10-Year Health Plan, outlining four different themes, one of which focused on funding models that support transformation by facilitating “a shift in the focus of funding from hospitals to communities and towards digital”.
Last month, South West London ICS published its digital strategy for 2025 – 2028, setting out five digital priorities for the next three years across digital infrastructure, integrating systems, harnessing data, empowering citizens, and innovation. Other areas of work detailed within the strategy include a focus on a Longitudinal Health & Care Record to help offer seamless communication across multiple organisations, to offer a single view of an individual’s health.
