03.04.14
NHS England investing £230m in GP IT systems
NHS England has set out plans to use £230m in funding to ensure all GPpractices across England have high-quality IT systems.
Set out in an updated operating model for 2014-16 – Securing Excellence in GP IT Services – the investment plans aim to improve the quality of GP care by enhancing patients’ experience of services, supporting and encouraging greater integration of care and providing efficiency benefits for practices by reducing paperwork and freeing up more time for patient care.
It also supports the aim of implementing integrated digital care records across the NHS, which will help make patients’ journeys seamless by giving health professionals in both hospitals and primary care access to the information they need – without patients having to constantly repeat themselves.
Beverley Bryant, director of strategic systems and technology at NHS England, said: “Digital systems are the foundation upon which to build a modern, efficient and responsive health service. Enabling information to flow between care providers and between providers and patients will help achieve a safe, convenient and personalised health service for all.”
Under the proposed arrangements, GP IT funding will be distributed to clinical commissioning groups based on patient population size, which is a significant change from previous models. This will ensure equity across all parts of England based on a core IT service offer.
So far, GPs have led the way in the move from paper to digital record-keeping. It also lays the foundations for practices being able to offer online transactions to patients in the future, such as booking appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions and accessing their individual health records online.
Secretary of state for health Jeremy Hunt added: “GPs are often the first point of call for patients and it is vital they have computer systems fit for a 21st Century NHS. These improvements will help simplify services for patients and ensure we continue to provide a world class healthcare service.”
NHE has asked the Royal College of General Practitioners for their opinion on the announcement, but so far has not received a reply.
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