Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust’s January 2025 board meeting shared key updates on digital from across the trust, outlining key areas of focus for 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”. The trust noted the importance of putting in place infrastructure “that supports patients, clinicians, and staff”, including key points such as the ability to access information needed easily and safely; ease of use for clinicians; and cyber security.
The trust highlighted the need to collaborate “as much as possible” across the health system, to “roll out options that are tested for security and ease of use and are provided by companies that are secure”; stating that this would help “reduce the duplication of effort” across the NHS. “We should avoid duplication by doing some things once and doing them well”, it went on.
Discussion highlighted challenges for staff and for patients ability to use technology; finding revenue funding to maintain new projects and replace outdated equipment; the risks associated with being the “first mover”; and offering the salaries to attract people with strong digital skills. To address these, the board noted how the trust is taking a whole patient pathway view, considering areas in which digital approaches could benefit patients and clinicians most, and redesigning pathways from scratch across organisational boundaries with a digital lens.
Other noted enablers included to ensure investments are provided for the whole life cycle of the project and are flexible if there are delays or adjustments; ensuring there is system partnership for key digital ideas; greater focus on outcomes of digital projects; and using research to identify what is most effective.
Additionally, the trust addressed ideas for change in policy, with suggestions for a national framework guiding the shift towards technology, a blueprint for digital developments and a long-term funding structure for investing in technology.
On updates for digital services the board noted a “significant” bid for frontline digitisation funding; the commencement of planning for the “next phase” of the trust’s digital strategy; the continuation of the London-wide electronic Mental Health Assessment project with an anticipated go-live for Oxleas in March 2025; and work toward onboarding further departments onto the trust’s service desk portal.
Other key steps taken by the trust toward digital transformation are also highlighted by the board, including the setting up of the trust’s online patient portal, Oxcare; use of the E-meds system for electronic prescribing; use of virtual reality in a variety of services including in helping people understand conditions such as psychosis and ADHD; and to trial digital dictation to reduce the time spent on writing patient records.
The papers also report on a new website set to be created for the Greenwich Integrated Therapies Service, so that children, young people, and their families have access to advice and strategies for self-help. As part of this digital offering, they have outlined a need for a Digital Navigator role to be created within the organisation.
Read Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust’s latest board papers in full here.
Digital transformation plans in healthcare
Mid and South Essex ICB also published their latest board papers, which explore the impact of digital tools and data in supporting a number of different projects and priorities within the ICB. The board share updates on the use of digital in other areas across the region, as well as pointing to plans for a promotional campaign which will commence shortly to help boost public awareness of Modern General Practice, total triage, and self-referral.
The UK Government recently published its AI Opportunities Action Plan, accepting recommendations for expanding computing capacity, establishing AI growth zones, unlocking data assets, and sharing alongside a proposed delivery timeline.
The plan for reforming NHS elective care was unveiled earlier this month, with a foreword from Wes Streeting on taking “the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS”, rolling out “technological transformation to speed up processes”, and “busting bureaucracy”. The plan sets out a vision of future NHS care which focuses on improved experience, convenience, choice, and control.
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