Lack of coordination leaves NHS staff disillusioned over IT upgrade |
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Fri, 05 Aug 2005 12:10
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LONDON: The 6.2 billion-pound National Program for IT, expected to overhaul the way NHS would work, appears to be in peril as the staff implementing the system are a demoralised lot, warns a study reported in the British Medical Journal. Upon full implementation by 2012, the program would have modernised the health care system in the country -- basically the way medical records are kept, prescriptions are issued and doctors' appointments are booked.
The study, conducted by a team from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, revealed that NHS managers who work upfront felt disengaged, mainly because there was very little consultation and communication from NHS Connecting for Health, who are developing the
system. This posed a threat to the programme being successful, the study found.
The study team is also concerned about the timetable for introducing the new system, which it says is "unrealistic".
The IT upgrade is a major factor in making NHS more patient-focused. The system, being implemented in phases over the next five years, will allow patients to book appointments at a hospital of their choice and allow them to pick up repeat prescriptions from any pharmacy in the country. It will also create a central database of patient records, which can be accessed by NHS staff from anywhere in the country.
The study team talked to 23 senior clinical and non-clinical staff from hospitals selected on the basis of size, financial health, star ratings, etc., and found that there was confusion on how the system is to be implemented. One of the researchers for the study, Dr Jane Hendy, said the staff have shown willingness to overcome the technical problems of the IT induction program, but "it's time the programme's headquarters engaged with managers and health professionals to implement this programme. NPfIT success depends on it."
Earlier, a report by the National Audit Office had pointed out that NHS staff were not fully on board and the choose and book module -- which allows patients to book hospital appointments at a place, date and time of their convenience from GP surgeries -- was behind schedule.
A programme spokesperson said a major communications push is starting in September, which will "inform and educate both NHS staff and the public about the changes and benefits that the new technologies will bring". Officials are working with GPs, hospital doctors, nurses and
allied health professionals to "develop understanding of what benefits" the project will bring, she added.
Some of the doctors, however, say there is progress. Dr Richard Vautrey, lead for IT on the British Medical Association's GPs committee, says the situation had improved recently. But there is
"widespread cynicism" still.
Dr Vivienne Nathanson of the British Medical Association said said the lack of engagement and consultation with the medical profession was wholly inadequate in the early stages of development but NHS Connecting for Health has more recently made significant progress in its efforts to involve NHS staff.
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