WINTER FUNDS
News
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Labour demands £500m emergency NHS fund The 2017 Labour Party Conference has heard calls for a £500 million ‘winter bailout fund’ for the NHS over the coming months. Jonathan Ashworth highlighted how patients suffered their worst winter on record last year, suggesting that, unless a large government investment is made
soon, 10,000 people a day will wait at least four hours for A&E treatment this winter. The Shadow Health Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme said that he had consulted with senior NHS leaders to compile the ‘right figure’ for funding to help ease the winter months. The
NHS PRESSURES
TECHNOLOGY
NHS not fit for 21st century, says CQC chief
Innovative digital technology solutions to improve care
Professor Ted Baker, the new chief inspector of hospitals in England, has warned that the NHS has not adapted to deal with the growth in the population. Speaking in the Daily Telegraph, Baker, who started his role with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in September, claimed that the current NHS model is the same as it was in the 1960s and that it had not modernised due to a historic lack of investment. He said: “One of the things I regret is that 15 or 20 years ago, when we could see the change in the population, the NHS did not change its model of care. It should have done it then – there was a lot more money coming in but we didn’t spend it all on the right things. We didn’t spend it on transformation of the model of care.” As part of his interview, Baker also revealed that he had written to all hospital chief executives calling for action to improve safety on accident and emergency wards. READ MORE: tinyurl.com/y7uosbkn
A new publication has investigated how vanguard-implemented digital solutions are helping the NHS respond to the needs of patients, rising demand for services and constraints on funding. In 2015, 50 vanguards were selected to take the lead on the development of new care models, with some focusing on implementing digital solutions. The aim of the vanguards is to show the potential for technology to enhance, rather than replace, existing services. New Care Models: Harnessing technology explores, jointly produced by the NHS Confederation, NHS Providers, NHS Clinical Commissioners and the Local Government Association, looks at the work of five vanguards: East and North Hertfordshire; Better Together Mid Nottinghamshire; Better Care Together Morecambe Bay; East Midlands Radiology Consortium; and Salford Together. The examples showcase the successes of digital projects being developed by vanguards, showing how such innovation can encourage more efficient, integrated and personalised care.
Labour party had pledged £7 billion for the health service in their 2017 election manifesto, but warned that it was sensible to ‘manage the public finances prudently’. READ MORE: tinyurl.com/y6vsv7sc
The paper finds that new technological solutions need to be considered within the context of local needs, and anchored to wider change programmes across organisations and whole health and care systems. Helen Arthur, NHS England’s new care models harnessing technology lead, said: “The report recognises the success of vanguards in using technology to enhance, rather than replace, existing services. Working with the vanguards, we have developed a technology model to help other health and care organisations to think through what can be a complex process of change. “We have identified some of the key challenges which encompasses the user experience, digital literacy, culture and return on investment. The examples of innovation, led by vanguards, in this report not only provide inspiration but learning and evidence that others can use. ‘Steal with pride’, as the report says.” READ MORE: tinyurl.com/y7rpmtt4
FAST FOLLOWERS
Hunt names NHS ‘fast follower’ trusts Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt named the second wave of 18 NHS digital ‘fast followers’ at the NHS Innovation Expo, who will partner with the 12 Global Digital Exemplars (GDEs) announced at the same event last year. The fast followers are, on the whole, matched geographically with GDEs. For example, South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust is to become a ‘fast follower’ in City Hospitals Sunderland’s digital footsteps. Ken Bremner, chief executive of South Tyneside and Sunderland Healthcare Group, said: “This is fantastic news for South Tyneside District Hospital and for our community teams and means we can accelerate learning from Sunderland to develop world class digital systems that will benefit patients in South Tyneside for many years to come. For over 25 years we’ve recognised the critical role
that technology now plays in delivering worldclass healthcare services and in Sunderland we have set the bar in terms of investing in our digital footprint to improve the quality of patient care. Our new Emergency Department is now completely paper-free at the point of care and uses technology that can move around with the patient. As a group, we can now build on this success to further transform our digital capabilities in South Tyneside and the ‘fast follower’ status is testimony of what can be achieved with the two trusts working together.” However, this is not the case for all partnerships. Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust has been matched with North Tees and Hartlepool Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as its fast follower.
Jeremy Hunt, Health Secretary
As part of the announcement, the Department of Health also confirmed that there will also be a wave of up to seven mental health fast followers, each receiving up to £3 million in national funding. READ MORE: tinyurl.com/yc8oojh7
Volume 17.5 | HEALTH BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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