Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (DGT) has explored how the organisation aligns with the NHS 10 year plan, to explore opportunities and make strategic recommendations. The activity is to inform focus areas including MDT integrated neighbourhood teams, MDT career pathway development, NHS App uptake, and leadership development.
Published as part of the trust’s August board meeting, DGT notes to be “well aligned” with the 10 year plan, particularly with its focus on community, digital ambitions, and an integrated improvement approach. The trust highlights opportunities to increase commercial and innovation skillsets and to review strategic direction following NHS operating model changes.
In particular, the trust notes future opportunities in genomics and prevention, digital solutions such as Ambient AI, the NHS App as an SMS alternative, and the single patient record.
The board also shared digital updates including continued progress on the development of a digital roadmap, and efforts toward EPR convergence and EDM replacement.
DGT’s 2030 aspirations are to reach 95 percent of staff reporting digital systems are supporting their delivery of outstanding care, 95 percent of staff having the digital skills to innovate and provide outstanding care “now and in the years to come”, and a 70 percent increase in the utilisation of the trust’s patient portal.
Recommendations for DGT highlight the opportunity to increase innovation capacity and capability by “formalising the portfolio” and investing in skills development, and to review digital spend required for the next five years.
Risks to the trust’s implementation of the 10 year plan reportedly include gaps in digital readiness around digital skills, infrastructure, and integration. In mitigating this, DGT’s approach will focus on the delivery of its digital roadmap and the digital enabler priorities set out within its own strategy.
NHS 10 year plan and digital innovation
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Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust has published an AI Strategy, outlining current and future AI work along with plans for benefits realisation, implementation, AI workforce development, infrastructure and data architecture. Driving the transformation are four key themes: enhancing children and young people centred care; empowering colleagues and freeing up time using intelligent automation, AI assistants, and smarter workflows; transforming outcomes for children and young people by delivering precision care through AI-optimised pathways, predictive analytics, and remote monitoring tools; and revolutionising paediatric diagnostics with “cutting edge” innovation.
A recent HTN Now panel discussion covered how to advance patient engagement using communication tech and patient portals, exploring adoption, engagement, the use of AI and automation technologies, functionality and the future role of patient portals and communication tech in tackling NHS challenges. We were joined by Jothi Vasan-O’Leary, medical information officer and outpatient clinical lead (GIRFT) at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton; Daniel Parkinson, digital IT project manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals; Sally Mole, senior digital programme manager – digital portfolio delivery team at The Dudley Group; and Emma Stratful, chief operating officer at OX.DH.
