Comments on: McDonald calls for greater honesty and culture change on NHS IT

By: Steve Davids

Steve Davids — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 12:05:00 +0000

In reply to Sharon. Thanks Terry, you’re absolutely correct, people and process are vital. I’m not saying otherwise. Thanks Jon, thats helpful but still very generic. Any examples of how we believe they are inappropriately controlling?

By: Jon Hoeksma

Jon Hoeksma — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 10:18:28 +0000

In reply to Terry Critchley.

Hi Steve — the news report is from a conference presentation Joe gave at NYHDIF that spanned the history of NPfIT up to current-day. Within this context, I think it is notable (and worth reporting) that a leading figure like Joe is warning that the culture needs attention.

Personally I’d argue it needs constant vigilance, as it is so hard to get right and the default of government agencies too often reverts to wanting to accumulate power, and exert control of any money and decision-making.

By: Terry Critchley

Terry Critchley — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 08:58:23 +0000

In reply to Steve Davids. Steve, back to basics. If the processes are broken, ad hoc or non-existent, all the AI, SW and HW in the world will not fix it, Read any article on digital transformation and you will get the same message, Processes first, products (technology) is support for them. The reverse, bolting technology onto bad processes is a recipe for disaster This is an immutable law of IT projects.

By: Steve Davids

Steve Davids — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 14:26:00 +0000

What are the issues? What are the phoney targets? Is this just bad blood because the NCR hasn’t gotten any money yet. This is article takes a swipe at NHSX with nothing real to explain why. Matt Gould has made some good improvements already, halting the NHS app programme and stating clear priorities. The LHCRE programme, creating STP wide platforms with an ability to allow innovations to be plugged in once per region should prevent the hairball of apps, IOTS and data quality issues that will be inevitable otherwise. They will also accelerate region wide population health, condition plans, patient access and understanding of care gaps.

As for AI it’s really starting to show promise and could save huge time and money (particularly in areas of diagnostics). Money that can be ploughed back into healthcare. Let’s face it many trusts are already spending money on this without the scale or ability to understand that a central group could bring to bare. Why should this money be frittered away on hospitals that aren’t willing to spend money on the basics?

Come on digital health. If we’re making accusations like this let’s have more depth and put in some evidence. This says little more than NHSX are bad because someone hasn’t gotten his money yet and doesn’t like them.

By: Terry Critchley

Terry Critchley — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 19:54:09 +0000

In reply to Hans Hendrickx. Spot on Hans. I've been ranting on for ages about 'Processes precede Products' (technology) and I find another disciple. If we can get Matt Hancock to repeat these words, the NHS might be saved from 'death by technology'..

By: Sharon

Sharon — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 19:07:15 +0000

I have recently commenced in a new CCIO role and feel fortunate that the trust wants to focus on staff engagement as a priority. This is so important as we need staff to shape and transform services using the right technology.
I really feel that the focus needs to be on training and staff engagement with technology and funding of the right tools. Financial deficits and struggles with funding makes it difficult for organisations to move forward whilst fire fighting

By: Hans Hendrickx

Hans Hendrickx — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 16:02:07 +0000

Interesting developments. I have worked in healthcare 50 years, 40 years as a doctor, and know from experience how the system has been industrialized from a professional environment into a manager’s run operation, Hospitals are like Disney Land. That said, it is logical that healthcare workers resist yet other hypes and other disruptions. Resistances have been studied extensively, see f.e. Why hospitals don’t learn from failures (google search). To me, the logical thing is to start over and do it right this time. Start at the patient’s workflow, follow through at the doctor’s workflow, the nurse’s wokflow etc. Throw all IT that not facilitates workflows in the shredder. After that major task, begin thinking about diagnostic support, because that is far more complex than workflow facilitation. To end in an upbeat: The Pople-Meyers model of working together proofed, in the 70ties, that programmers and doctors can work together very well. The future of dyads of domains is bright.

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 06:21:06 +0000

Right now it seems like the wild west. A gold rush of ideas and work, mostly great in their own right, but all pulling in very different directions.

By: Gerard Winstanley

Gerard Winstanley — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 17:34:53 +0000

I suspect this might be connected to some of the same players being carried over into the new team. At an NHSX event I attended some months back Dr Eccles put on a performance that was worthy of Richard Granger circa 2003 (although huskies were not name-checked).

But when you get down to the details, there are some major differences: to begin with at least NPfIT was focused and clear about it’s objectives and it had a budget to back it up; NHSX is the polar opposite of that.