Digital tech is key to ‘neighbourhood health’, says The King’s Fund

Digital technology is key to delivering the new government’s ambition of moving care closer to home, says a report from The King’s Fund.

In its manifesto, Labour calls for a move towards a ‘neighbourhood health service’, with resources shifted to primary care and community services so that more care can be delivered in the community.

The King’s Fund report, commissioned by software firm Nourish, says that to achieve this vision digital technologies in GPs, pharmacies, community trusts and care providers must be bolstered.

It adds that technology could help reduce hospital admissions, improve patient experience and outcomes, and help people with ongoing care needs to live independent lives.

The report, which draws on a roundtable with national stakeholders and expert research, finds that community providers experience difficulties accessing the funding needed to digitally transform and improve services, which exacerbates variation in digital tools available to staff and patients.

It says that although some integrated care systems are working to tailor services to the individual, many digital technologies in community settings are built with hospitals in mind.

This can lead to frustration that the kit does not always cater for mobile working for staff such as district nurses, who reported struggles connecting to the internet, poor battery life and heavy laptops.

Some NHS staff reported that electronic records software can interrupt workflows, and said that staff are left to duplicate tasks across different systems.

The King’s Fund concludes that NHS and social care staff in the community should be involved in developing or selecting systems that will work best for them.

Pritesh Mistry, fellow in digital technologies at The King’s Fund, said that “thoughtful adoption of digital technology in community settings” is key to achieving the government’s pledge to refocus the NHS towards primary and community care.

He added that underinvestment in digital technology in community settings has held back improvements to care and is “frustrating staff and patients alike”.

“As the country’s population ages and expectations around how to access health care services change, investment in these areas has become increasingly necessary, not optional.

“An initial step includes setting a national vision to guide local decisions, co-created with people and staff.

“This needs to be underpinned by boosted funding for innovation in community settings, and staff being given the time to develop the digital skills they need to embed improvements to digital systems,” Mistry said.

Nuno Almeida, founder and chief executive of Nourish, added that “well designed and well implemented digital technology” improves outcomes and makes it easier for health and social care teams to do their jobs.

“One way to drastically improve is to invest in digital technology which will streamline processes, save time, and join up care information across the board.

“To do this the wider system needs to come together and co-create a solution designed for a community setting,” Almedia said.

In response to the King’s Fund report, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We recognise the vital role that technology can play in transforming patient outcomes and experience. That’s why our Fit For The Future Fund will take the NHS out of the analogue and into the digital age.

“We will equip the health service with the cutting-edge technology it needs to tackle waiting lists, improve patient experience and speed up diagnosis, ensuring patients receive the care they deserve.”