In the new Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s first speech, he announced that there is a ‘tech transformation coming’ as the former Digital and Culture Secretary pledged £487m for technology in the NHS.
Now is an excellent time for technology businesses to tap into the healthcare/public sector marketplace. Find out more about the NHS plans below.
Tech transformation
Of the £487m, the Health Secretary has allocated £412m to improve technology in hospitals and to give more patients access to health services at home.
The £75m that remains will be spent supporting Trusts to replace paper systems with new electronic ones. The government hopes that this move will reduce medication errors by 50%. This news comes after it was revealed that many UK hospitals are still reliant on “archaic” fax machines.
Two-year plan
Over the next two years the NHS plans to focus on “harnessing technology and innovation”, implementing solutions that will:
- Allow patients to access urgent care online.
- Expand the 111 service, so that patients can resolve problems without having to go to A&E or their GP.
- Simplify the online hospital appointment system.
- Make patients’ medical information available to the right clinicians wherever they are.
- Increase the use of apps which will help people manage their own health better.
Achieving these objectives will help the NHS to reach its “Five Year Forward” goal of paperless patient records by 2020.
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