‘Get rid of lobbying’ and devolve spending decisions on digital to ICSs

The NHS could break the cycle of costly, underperforming digital projects by devolving spending decisions away from the centre and giving integrated care systems more control, the executive director of Graphnet suggested at Rewired on Tuesday.

During Rewired’s first keynote session on ‘money, digital, the NHS and the UK economy’, Graphnet executive director Markus Bolton said: “If you want to get more productivity, get rid of lobbying.” He said initiatives such as centres of digital excellence had sucked “huge amounts of money out of our services” and had “harmed patients” – an observation which drew applause.

Bolton urged the audience of digital leaders to “persevere” with their own innovations and not be distracted. “You have got to quietly paddle your canoe and not worry about some of the other innovations floating overhead,” he said.

Speaking to Digital Health News after the keynote session, Bolton added: “We’ve seen several examples of how large-scale IT projects have been initiated through lobbying – and those making the decisions don’t always have the detailed knowledge required to make the right calls. The results [have been] some of the high-profile catastrophes that seem to dog healthcare computing.

“One of the problems is that the NHS is so big. I think the answer to this is more devolution and power to local ICS teams. And the funding should follow decision-making. That would significantly reduce the risk and increase accountability.”

Using digital in healthcare more effectively would provide a “massive uptick to our economy” said Professor Julia Sutcliffe, chief scientific adviser at the Department for Business and Trade.

She emphasised that the UK has an unprecedented opportunity to release the potential of life sciences and technology: “For the first time things are really starting to line up – it’s not a discretionary option, it’s fundamental.”

Like the other members of the panel, Professor Sutcliffe said innovation had to work for clinicians and not add to their workload. It should be “as easy for clinicians to use MedTech as it is for them to use drugs [to benefit patients]”.

Helen Thomas, CEO, Digital Health and Care Wales, said: “The way the NHS funds digital needs to drastically change. It’s not about major infrastructure, it’s about sustaining improvement.”

Digital Health Rewired is taking place at the NEC in Birmingham 12-13 March. The programme is available here. You can still register to attend on site at Hall 8 of the NEC.