Jump to content

Search the hub

Showing results for tags 'Digital health'.


More search options

  • Search By Tags

    Start to type the tag you want to use, then select from the list.

  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • All
    • Commissioning, service provision and innovation in health and care
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Culture
    • Improving patient safety
    • Investigations, risk management and legal issues
    • Leadership for patient safety
    • Organisations linked to patient safety (UK and beyond)
    • Patient engagement
    • Patient safety in health and care
    • Patient Safety Learning
    • Professionalising patient safety
    • Research, data and insight
    • Miscellaneous

Categories

  • Commissioning, service provision and innovation in health and care
    • Commissioning and funding patient safety
    • Digital health and care service provision
    • Health records and plans
    • Innovation programmes in health and care
    • Climate change/sustainability
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Blogs
    • Data, research and statistics
    • Frontline insights during the pandemic
    • Good practice and useful resources
    • Guidance
    • Mental health
    • Exit strategies
    • Patient recovery
    • Questions around Government governance
  • Culture
    • Bullying and fear
    • Good practice
    • Occupational health and safety
    • Safety culture programmes
    • Second victim
    • Speak Up Guardians
    • Staff safety
    • Whistle blowing
  • Improving patient safety
    • Clinical governance and audits
    • Design for safety
    • Disasters averted/near misses
    • Equipment and facilities
    • Error traps
    • Health inequalities
    • Human factors (improving human performance in care delivery)
    • Improving systems of care
    • Implementation of improvements
    • International development and humanitarian
    • Patient Safety Alerts
    • Safety stories
    • Stories from the front line
    • Workforce and resources
  • Investigations, risk management and legal issues
    • Investigations and complaints
    • Risk management and legal issues
  • Leadership for patient safety
    • Business case for patient safety
    • Boards
    • Clinical leadership
    • Exec teams
    • Inquiries
    • International reports
    • National/Governmental
    • Patient Safety Commissioner
    • Quality and safety reports
    • Techniques
    • Other
  • Organisations linked to patient safety (UK and beyond)
    • Government and ALB direction and guidance
    • International patient safety
    • Regulators and their regulations
  • Patient engagement
    • Consent and privacy
    • Harmed care patient pathways/post-incident pathways
    • How to engage for patient safety
    • Keeping patients safe
    • Patient-centred care
    • Patient Safety Partners
    • Patient stories
  • Patient safety in health and care
    • Care settings
    • Conditions
    • Diagnosis
    • High risk areas
    • Learning disabilities
    • Medication
    • Mental health
    • Men's health
    • Patient management
    • Social care
    • Transitions of care
    • Women's health
  • Patient Safety Learning
    • Patient Safety Learning campaigns
    • Patient Safety Learning documents
    • Patient Safety Standards
    • 2-minute Tuesdays
    • Patient Safety Learning Annual Conference 2019
    • Patient Safety Learning Annual Conference 2018
    • Patient Safety Learning Awards 2019
    • Patient Safety Learning Interviews
    • Patient Safety Learning webinars
  • Professionalising patient safety
    • Accreditation for patient safety
    • Competency framework
    • Medical students
    • Patient safety standards
    • Training & education
  • Research, data and insight
    • Data and insight
    • Research
  • Miscellaneous

News

  • News

Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start
    End

Last updated

  • Start
    End

Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


First name


Last name


Country


About me


Organisation


Role

Found 500 results
  1. Event
    until
    This joint webinar, hosted by the Digital Care Hub and Homecare Association, will be an insightful session on the safe use of AI in homecare. This discussion is tailored for adult social care providers in England, and will include: Provider Insights: Hear from industry experts and social care providers on the latest trends and challenges. Innovative AI Applications: Discover exciting examples of AI transforming homecare. Ethical and Safety Considerations: Learn about the key ethical and safety aspects to consider. Practical Tips: Get top tips for implementing AI effectively in your practice. This session is designed for adult social care providers in England and are aimed at people who make decisions about the use of technology in care services. Register
  2. News Article
    California-based Stanford Health Care is piloting an internally developed, AI-backed software designed to revolutionize clinician interaction with the electronic health record (EHR) Nigam Shah, chief data science officer at Stanford Health Care, is leading the development team for ChatEHR, which allows clinicians to ask questions, request summaries and pull specific information from a patient’s medical record. ChatEHR is built directly into Stanford’s EHR to maximise clinical workflow. The pilot is available to a small cohort of 33 physicians, nurses and physician assistants. The technology is secure and designed for information gathering; not medical advice. ChatEHR, which has been in development since 2023, facilitates a more streamlined and efficient way for clinicians to interact with patient records. “This is a unique instance of integrating [large language model] capabilities directly into clinicians’ practice and workflow,” said Michael Pfeffer, MD, chief information and digital officer at Stanford Health Care and School of Medicine, in a news release. “We’re thrilled to bring this to the workforce at Stanford Health Care.” Stanford is still working on automation to evaluate tasks, such as determining whether to transfer patients between hospitals or units. Dr Shah and his team are using an open-source framework for real-world large language model evaluation, MedHELM, to evaluate ChatEHR. His goal is to scale ChatEHR to all clinicians and the team is working on more features to ensure accuracy. “We’re rolling this out in accordance with our responsible AI guidelines, not only ensuring accuracy and performance, but making sure we have the educational resources and technical support available to make ChatEHR usable to our workforce,” said Dr Shah in the release. Read full story Source: Becker's Health IT, 6 June 2025
  3. Content Article
    Digital health literacy comprises the ability to find, understand, and apply health information, and to manage one’s own health by using electronic tools and information sources. Digital health literacy is a foundational element of successful healthcare transformation and increasingly important to patients, caregivers, and the public. This toolkit compiles international learnings and practices to support the advancement of public digital health literacy. Developed by the Clinical and Human Engagement work stream of the Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP), it is intended for anyone seeking to: Develop or procure resources to build digital health literacy skills among the general public. Contextualise their existing digital health literacy work within the international landscape. Understand the evolving definitions, impacts, and implications of digital health literacy. This toolkit draws together ‘learnings and practices to support the advancement of public digital health literacy’. The toolkit consists of 5 modules: Module 1: Introduction Module 2: GDHP digital health literacy survey findings Module 3: Case examples Module 4: Checklists and considerations Module 5: Collection of digital health literacy resources.
  4. News Article
    Appointment reminders, invitations to health screenings and test results will now be received by patients on their phones. The government says moving to a more digital-focused NHS will mean 50 million fewer letters need to be sent out by the health service, saving an estimated £200m over the next three years. Instead, under the new plans, millions of people will be notified about appointments and other important notices via the NHS app on their phone or digital device. The app is set to become the go-to method for the NHS to communicate with people, the Department of Health and Social Care said. The changes will be backed by more than £50m investment. It will see a predicted 270 million messages sent through the app this year, an increase of around 70 million on the last financial year, the government announced. The health secretary said: "The fact that people still get letters through the front door, sometimes multiple letters about the same appointment... The NHS has been stuck in the mud when it comes to the everyday technology we use to organise our lives. And that's why what we're doing with the NHS app is really exciting." Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 June 2025
  5. Content Article
    The NHS must focus on collaboration to reap the benefits of digital solutions, writes Dr Pooven Maduramuthu, healthcare industry lead, UKI at DXC Technology. The NHS is currently facing significant challenges, including resource constraints, fragmented systems, and increasing demands for high-quality patient care. Digital enabling solutions have the potential to address these issues by improving interoperability, streamlining processes, and enhancing patient outcomes. However, to fully realise these benefits, the NHS must prioritise collaboration. By working together, NHS organisations can leverage existing investments, reduce implementation costs, and benefit from economies of scale. This collaborative approach ensures that digital solutions are not only effective but also sustainable and scalable across the healthcare system.
  6. News Article
    The purchase of approved digital products and services used for diagnosing and treating NHS patients should be reimbursed centrally, the chief executive of the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence has told HSJ. Sam Roberts said this was “the minimum a citizen should expect from a digitised health service” and that she was determined “to get that into the [government’s 10-Year Health] plan”. She described the different financial arrangements for NICE-approved digital products and services as “outrageous”, and said they should instead be treated “like medicines”. In a wide-ranging interview with HSJ, the NICE CEO also said: She wanted NICE to “lead the charge” in determining which digital innovations the NHS should adopt NICE would issue more guidance on which medicines it had previously recommended should no longer be used A new approach was needed to deal with the impending wave of expensive “preventive medicines” such as the new wave of weight-loss drugs. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 3 June 2025
  7. News Article
    NHS England has raised concerns that the inappropriate use of AI translation apps in healthcare could cause risks to patient safety. The ‘Improvement framework: community language translation and interpreting services’, published by NHSE on 27 May 2025, warns that digital exclusion can prevent the one million people in the UK who do not speak good English from accessing NHS services. It also highlights “concerns about the appropriate use of AI translation apps that are currently widely used across the NHS” to communicate with patients with limited English. “While translation apps provide a convenient, familiar and timely means of translation, they can also carry risks, particularly regarding accuracy and the potential impact on patient safety,” the framework says. NHSE calls on national programme teams to develop a national policy briefing on the ethical and appropriate use of AI in healthcare for translation and interpreting services. This would include measures to ensure the clinical safety and accuracy of AI outputs, outline when AI tools are suitable and when alternative methods should be prioritised, and specify the appropriate and safe use of AI tools for translation and interpreting. The framework also recommends that clear guidance is developed across all care settings for recording patients’ language needs in electronic patient records. Read full story Source: Digital Health, 3 June 2025 Related reading on the hub: AI in healthcare translation: balancing risk with opportunity
  8. News Article
    Replacing GP receptionists with a “digital triage” system has made it easier for patients to see their family doctors, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The NHS said that 99% of GP surgeries in England had now adopted an e-consultation system, meaning patients fill out an online form as their first point of contact. After detailing symptoms, they receive a call or message back that day, offering a face-to-face appointment, a phone consultation, or directing patients elsewhere, such as to a pharmacy. It means people are spared the hassle of having to call up their GP reception in an “8am scramble” for appointments, and NHS leaders reported that access had improved over the past year. New ONS figures show that 72% of people said it was easy or very easy to contact their GP, up from 60 per cent in July 2024. However, access to GP appointments is still significantly below pre-pandemic levels, with surgeries struggling to cope with increased demand. There were 29.3 million GP appointments in April 2025 — a rise of almost five million on the same period pre-pandemic. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 2 June 2025
  9. News Article
    A string of basic errors led to a teaching trust botching a pathology lab IT upgrade, causing major disruption to tests, according to an internal review seen by HSJ. The problems with Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust’s upgrade to the Clinisys WinPath system in December resulted in tens of thousands of blood tests being lost or delayed, with managers admitting patients were potentially put at risk. An internal LTHT review of how “communication and escalation” problems contributed to the disruption, including: Training delivered very late – even on the day of roll out – or not at all. No end-to-end testing of the system took place prior to roll out. There was no engagement with primary care to understand how the update could affect their workflows. Ineffective communication channels for escalation of problems. Lessons from previous NHS WinPath roll outs were not learned. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 30 May 2025
  10. Content Article
    This article explores how remote patient monitoring (RPM) is transforming patient safety by enabling continuous, real-time tracking of health data outside clinical settings. It provides a comprehensive overview of RPM technologies, their clinical benefits, implementation challenges and best practices. It highlights the growing importance of RPM in proactive care models and its role in reducing hospital readmissions, improving medication adherence and supporting vulnerable patient populations. How is remote patient monitoring changing patient safety? A Mass General Brigham study of 10,803 participants found that RPM reduced mean blood pressure from 150/83 to 145/83, which significantly lowers cardiovascular disease risk.[1] RPM technologies provide clinicians with real-time data streams; this allows for quick interventions when patient conditions change. The continuous monitoring bridges dangerous gaps between appointments where medical complications developed undetected. Beyond crisis prevention, RPM enhances medication safety through adherence tracking and creates comprehensive longitudinal health records revealing subtle trends conventional episodic care might miss. The benefits reach vulnerable groups—elderly, rural and mobility-limited patients—who now get regular supervision free of transportation constraints, creating safety nets once inaccessible under conventional care models. Real-time monitoring: a lifeline for early intervention and patient safety RPM provides regular data collection that serves as a buffer against avoidable harm by detecting minute physiological changes that indicate clinical deterioration. RPM significantly bolsters patient safety by enabling early detection of health deteriorations, thereby facilitating timely interventions. A study published in NPJ Digital Medicine analysed 29 studies across 16 countries and found that RPM interventions led to a reduction in hospital readmissions and emergency department visits.[2] Specifically, the study highlighted that RPM demonstrated positive outcomes in patient safety and adherence, and improved patients' mobility and functional statuses. This early warning feature considerably improves patient safety by enabling timely clinical interventions before symptoms worsen. A known patient with serious congestive heart failure can also be given diuretic adjustments remotely, avoiding hospitalisation. RPM also decreases the risks associated with medications by enabling physicians to identify missed doses and adverse reactions. Long-term data further strengthens safety by showing patterns—like low oxygen levels at night in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients—that single tests might miss. Personalised interventions are supported by this fine-grained understanding, especially for high-risk populations such as patients living in rural areas that have improved access to attentive monitoring. By combining speed and accuracy, RPM transforms patient safety to an actionable, data-driven and efficient procedure rather than a fixed objective. Key technologies driving remote patient monitoring: enabling safer, data-driven care Remote patient monitoring depends on a complex ecosystem of linked technology that extends clinical supervision outside of facility boundaries. Wearable devices form the basic foundation of this system—with regulatory-approved sensors capturing vital metrics continuously. RPM is transforming healthcare by shifting from reactive to proactive safety strategies. These digital systems continuously track vital signs, medication compliance and physiological parameters outside traditional clinical settings. This enables early detection of deterioration before serious complications arise. Advanced cardiac monitors identify arrhythmias with 98% accuracy and smart glucose sensors provide real-time glycaemic information via subcutaneous readings. Connected devices for tracking urinary patterns help physicians diagnose various types of incontinence without requiring in-person assessments, improving dignity and convenience for patients with mobility challenges. Smart inhalers with embedded sensors record medication usage patterns and technique, enabling precise interventions for respiratory conditions. Mobile applications are a link between patients and clinical teams—with simple dashboards that show health trends and medication adherence. These platforms usually combine clinical protocols, secure messaging systems and alerts based on preset thresholds. Backend analytics platforms transform raw physiological data into clinically relevant insights through sophisticated algorithms. These systems analyse longitudinal data against established baselines to detect minor abnormalities that precede clinical deterioration. According to studies, these predictive capacities can detect sepsis 6–12 hours earlier than traditional approaches, considerably increasing survival rates.[3] Secure, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant electronic health record (EHR) integration—using end-to-end encryption and strict authentication—creates comprehensive patient profiles, enabling better-informed treatment decisions. Implementing remote patient monitoring: main challenges RPM has numerous benefits in healthcare, but putting it into practice involves challenges that need thoughtful solutions. Digital literacy gaps create accessibility barriers, particularly among elderly populations where only 64% report comfort with technology-based healthcare tools according to the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society survey of 3,450 seniors.[4] Privacy concerns are significant as continuous monitoring generates sensitive health data that requires strong security. To maintain patient trust while meeting regulatory standards, healthcare centres must use end-to-end encryption, unambiguous consent mechanisms and transparent data governance frameworks. Another problem is clinical workflow integration; RPM systems that function without the use of EHR platforms result in documentation silos. Customised integration pathways that embed remote monitoring data within regular clinical interfaces are required for successful RPM implementation. When clinicians get an overwhelming number of notifications, the intended safety benefits are undermined. Effective systems use tiered alert processes with tailored thresholds that are based on patient baselines rather than population norms. These graduated notification systems ensure that important notifications receive necessary attention while preventing frequent low-risk alerts. As healthcare organisations face these issues, good implementation frameworks that include technical assistance, privacy safeguards and workflow optimisation are relevant to fulfilling RPM's full potential. Best practices for patient-centered remote monitoring Effective RPM is beyond technological equipment; it requires an effective structure that can only come from consistent planning and review. Healthcare organisations should establish dedicated implementation teams comprising clinicians, IT staff and patient advocates to gather diverse viewpoints and boost adoption of RPM. This cross-functional strategy improves RPM acceptance and sustainability while lowering possible resistance. Healthcare administrators should train providers thoroughly on both technical use of medical devices and data interpretation. A 2023 NEJM Catalyst study of 76 healthcare centres showed that centres with robust training of healthcare professionals had 43% higher RPM use after a year compared to those with minimal training.[5] Healthcare professionals should also be trained to focus equally on patient support through easy enrolment, clear instructions in multiple languages and in-person device training. Dedicated tech support channels should be created for RPM users in order to prevent frustration whenever there is a network glitch. Clear clinical protocols defining intervention thresholds, escalation pathways and response timeframes should be made to transform data into actionable intelligence. Rigorous quality assurance measures—including regular connectivity testing, data validation audits and patient usability assessments—safeguard programme integrity. Periodic review cycles examining alert frequency, response times and intervention outcomes help refine system parameters for maximum clinical utility. The most effective RPM programmes integrate patient feedback mechanisms allowing continuous refinement of interfaces, alert frequencies, and educational materials based on real-world experience. Conclusion RPM is improving healthcare from reactive to preventive care. As technology advances, these systems will become standard practice. Future developments will include smaller sensors, longer battery life and better connectivity—making monitoring easier for patients while improving data quality. Better predictive analytics will help physicians identify health problems earlier with greater accuracy. Beyond helping patients, RPM is changing organisational safety culture by expanding care beyond hospitals. This shift represents a major advancement—creating continuous monitoring systems that protect patients throughout their healthcare journey and redefining patient safety for modern medicine. References 1. Mass General Brigham. Mass General Brigham Remote Healthcare Delivery Program Improves Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Level, 9 November 2022. 2. Ying Tan S, et al. A systematic review of the impacts of remote patient monitoring (RPM) interventions on safety, adherence, quality-of-life and cost-related outcomes. NPJ Digital Medicine 2024; 7: 192. 3. King J, et al. Early Recognition and Initial Management of Sepsis in Adult Patients. Ann Arbor (MI): Michigan Medicine University of Michigan, 2023. 4. American Geriatrics Society 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2024; 72: III-VI. 5. Barrett JB, et al. Reduced Hospital Readmissions Through Personalized Care: Implementation of a Patient, Risk-Focused Hospital-Wide Discharge Care Center. NEJM Catal Innov Care Deliv 2025;6(6). DOI: 10.1056/CAT.24.0420. Further reading on the hub Putting patients at the heart of digital health Digital diagnosis—what the doctor ordered? Electronic patient record systems: Putting patient safety at the heart of implementation How do we harness technology responsibly to safeguard and improve patient care?
  11. News Article
    The Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) is set to spend up to €50m on a new national electronic prescription service as it seeks to modernise as part of Ireland’s “broader digital health transformation”. It has gone out to tender for the provision of this technology which it said will be rolled out in both public and private settings across the country’s healthcare system. “Ireland’s healthcare system currently lags behind other European countries in its adoption of digital technologies,” it said. “Its prescribing and dispensing processes are fragmented, with either Healthmail (secure email) or paper-based prescriptions being used. Healthcare providers often lack timely access to a patient’s complete medication history, leading to errors, communication gaps, and inefficiencies. Patients also have limited access to their medication information.” The current “healthmail” system has several limitations, according to the HSE, such as community pharmacy staff needing to locate and open patient files on the dispensing system and then transcribing details from prescriptions when they’re dispensing it. The HSE said the new prescription service will be secure, efficient and a fully integrated digital service to transmit and store electronic prescriptions and dispensations for patients. It will also integrate with existing and future health platforms and allow prescribers to generate prescriptions for patients electronically. “It will enable accurate, timely access to medication information, which will enhance clinical decision-making, reduce medication errors, streamline clinical workflows, empower patients and improve overall patient care,” it said. Read full story Source: Irish Examiner, 25 May 2025
  12. Content Article
    The NHS and social care systems in England are on a journey towards digitalisation. One particular technology that is generating high levels of both excitement and scepticism is artificial intelligence (AI). While many are excited by the opportunities offered by AI, others may be feeling more doubtful or unsure.   This long read from the King's Fund provides context for how this technology is, or could be, applied. Further reading on the hub: How do we harness technology responsibly to safeguard and improve patient care? Putting patients at the heart of digital health
  13. Content Article
    Leadership Futures recently published a report 'Harnessing technology for human progress: Advancing into Industry 5.0', which is driven by a bold ambition: to transform organisations worldwide through technological advancements. In this blog, Caroline Beardall looks at the implications of this for healthcare and suggests five actions that organisation's should take to ensure we achieve the benefits from technology while keeping patient safety at the forefront of an evolving landscape. The recent Leadership Futures report 'Harnessing technology for human progress: Advancing into Industry 5.0' provides a valuable framework for integrating technology with human-centered leadership, which is highly applicable to advancing patient safety in health and care. Its vision of Industry 5.0 as a collaborative human-AI partnership offers a route to reduce errors, enhance clinician capacity and improve patient outcomes. However, realising these benefits requires caution—ethical and inclusive implementation strategies that address the complexities and risks unique to health and care settings. It throws up three fundamental challenges: How can healthcare leaders ensure AI tools are safe to use and that clinical staff can trust them? Who should be responsible if an AI system makes a mistake that affects a patient? How can healthcare organisations use technology to work better without losing the importance of human interaction and the skills needed for high levels of patient satisfaction and safety? In order to answer these questions, and deepen the discussion on harnessing technology responsibly to safeguard and improve patient care, there are some actions we can take to build on the report and begin to gain evidence and experience specific to healthcare. As the landscape of healthcare shifts and evolves, we should consider applying the following five actions (with examples of how to do this) so we can achieve the maximum benefits from technology for patient safety. 1. Foster collective, collaborative leadership across boundaries Leaders should actively promote cooperation and shared responsibility across organisational and professional boundaries, focusing on the overall patient journey rather than siloed departmental goals. This aligns with the report’s emphasis on human-machine collaboration and the need for integrative leadership cultures that support safe, seamless care delivery. By working collectively, leaders can ensure technology is implemented with broad input and oversight, reducing risks and enhancing patient safety. Implement interdisciplinary collaboration practices: Organise regular team meetings involving diverse healthcare professionals to discuss patient care holistically, ensuring all voices contribute to decision making. Create shared goals and aligned metrics: Develop common objectives focused on patient safety and quality that unify departments and reduce siloed working. Lead by example: Demonstrate collaborative behaviours and openness to input, encouraging a culture of trust and teamwork. 2. Embed ethical, human-centred use of technology Leaders must champion ethical principles in technology adoption, ensuring AI and digital tools augment rather than replace human judgment and empathy. This includes rigorous validation of new technologies, transparency in AI decision-making, and ongoing monitoring to prevent harm or bias. Prioritising patient experience and human values in technology deployment safeguards safety and trust. Prioritise transparency and clinician involvement: Engage frontline staff early in AI and technology design and deployment to ensure tools meet clinical needs and ethical standards. Establish continuous monitoring and feedback loops: Use data and user feedback to identify and mitigate risks or biases in technology that could impact patient safety. Promote ethical leadership training: Equip leaders with skills to balance innovation with patient experience and accountability. 3. Develop and support workforce readiness and engagement Preparing staff to work effectively alongside new technologies is vital. Leaders should invest in training that builds digital literacy, critical thinking and resilience, while also fostering a positive work climate where staff feel valued and supported. Engaged and confident clinicians are better able to use technology safely and maintain high standards of care. Invest in targeted training and digital upskilling: Provide contextual, in-app guidance and interactive training to help staff adopt new technologies confidently and efficiently. Foster a culture of psychological safety and empowerment: Encourage open discussion, honest feedback and staff involvement in decision making to build trust and resilience. Practice empathetic leadership: Focus on emotional and professional needs of staff to reduce burnout and improve engagement. 4. Set clear, aligned objectives focused on quality and safety Leadership should establish clear, challenging and aligned goals at every level that prioritise patient safety and quality improvement over mere efficiency or target-driven metrics. This clarity helps reduce staff stress and confusion, enabling teams to focus on delivering compassionate, safe care supported by technology. Communicate clear expectations and priorities: Use consistent, transparent communication to align teams around patient safety goals and reduce ambiguity. Implement continuous feedback and learning systems: Regularly review performance data and patient feedback to refine objectives and improve care quality. Balance efficiency with human factors: Ensure operational goals do not compromise critical human skills or patient-centred care. 5. Champion diversity, inclusion and accountability in leadership Inclusive leadership practices that promote equality and diversity are essential to fostering innovation and ethical decision-making in healthcare technology adoption. Leaders must also clarify accountability frameworks for technology-related decisions and errors, ensuring responsibility is shared and transparent to maintain patient safety. Promote inclusive leadership practices: Value diverse perspectives and foster equity to enhance innovation and ethical decision-making Clarify accountability frameworks: Define roles and responsibilities clearly, especially concerning technology-related decisions and errors, to maintain trust and safety Model human-centred leadership traits: Practice self-awareness, compassion and mindfulness to create cultures of excellence, trust, and caring. By integrating these strategies, human-centric leaders can effectively translate the insights from the Leadership Futures report into practical actions that improve patient safety, staff satisfaction and overall health system resilience. This approach embraces complexity and change as opportunities, not obstacles, which then enables sustainable progress in better health and care delivery. Further reading Amelia N. 6 Effective Leadership Strategies for Healthcare in 2025. Edstellar, 31 December 2024. West M, et al. Leadership in Healthcare: a Summary of the Evidence Base. Kings Fund; Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management; Center for Creative Leadership, 2015. LeClerc L, Kennedy K, Campis S. Human-Centered Leadership in Health Care: An Idea That's Time Has Come. Nursing Administration Quarterly 2020; 44(2):p 117-26.
  14. Content Article
    In June 2023 the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced that HSSIB would undertake a series of investigations focused on mental health inpatient settings. This overarching report brings together and explores cross-cutting patient safety risks across five individual investigations. The aim of this report is to examine patient safety risks identified across the following HSSIB investigations: Creating conditions for learning from deaths and near misses in inpatient and community mental health services: Assessment of suicide risk and safety planning (12 September 2024) Creating conditions for the delivery of safe and therapeutic care to adults in mental health inpatient settings (24 October 2024) Mental health inpatient settings: out of area placements (21 November 2024) Mental health inpatient settings: Supporting safe care during transition from inpatient children and young people’s mental health services to adult mental health services (12 December 2024) Mental health inpatient settings: Creating conditions for learning from deaths in mental health inpatient services and when patients die within 30 days of discharge (30 January 2025) Findings Safety, investigation, and learning culture There remains a fear of blame in mental health settings when safety events happen. This contributes to a more defensive culture despite staff actively wanting to learn. Many recommendations to support learning for improvements in mental health care do not lead to implemented actions. Reasons for this include a lack of impact assessment resulting in unintended consequences, no clear recipient involved in the development of recommendations, and duplicated recommendations across organisations. System integration and accountability The integration of health and social care within an integrated care system currently relies on relationships, with an expectation and hope that they will work well. However, where this is not the case, a lack of clear accountability can result in poor outcomes for people with mental illness and severe mental illness. The delivery of care for people with mental illness and severe mental illness is challenging because health and social care services are not always integrated and their goals are not always aligned. Physical health of patients in mental health inpatient settings There are gaps in the provision of physical health care for people with severe mental illness, including inconsistent health checks, poor emergency responses, and misattribution of physical symptoms to mental illness. The misattribution of physical symptoms to patients’ mental health was observed and had the potential to contribute to worsened patient outcomes. National reports, strategies and research have made recommendations to improve the physical health of people with severe mental illness. However, there is evidence that recommendations are delayed in implementation and people continue to die prematurely. Integrated care boards lack the required data and the necessary analytical capability to assess disparities in access, experience and outcomes related to the physical health needs of people with severe mental illness. There is variation in how the physical health checks are carried out on mental health inpatient wards, with limitations in processes for following up on patients’ physical health needs. There is variation in the knowledge, skills and experience of staff who undertake physical health checks and in the environments in which these checks take place. Patients may not always be supported in terms of health education about their physical health risks and modifiable risk factors, for example smoking, dietary advice and physical activity. Caring for people in the community Integrated care boards cannot consistently draw reliable insights from data at national, system or local level, to optimise and improve services, patient care, and outcomes across mental health pathways of care. This results in variability in service provision which does not always meet the needs of individual patients or local populations. Inpatient ‘bed days’ are taken up by people who no longer need them, because people who are clinically fit for discharge are delayed in being transferred to their home or a suitable residence (appropriate placement). Reasons for delayed discharges include issues with housing support and establishing suitable accommodation. This means patients are not always in the right place of care. Barriers to discharge affect patient flow and may result in delays in admission for people with severe mental illness. This means they have to be cared for in a community setting while waiting for an inpatient bed. There is variation across the country in how drug and alcohol services are provided. The variation does not allow for fair and equitable treatment for all patients. Community services are vital to support people to stay as well as possible and to prevent hospital admissions. However, there is variation in community service provision across the country. Staffing and resourcing Staffing and resource constraints in inpatient and community mental health settings impact their ability to provide safe and therapeutic care. In inpatient settings, constraints contribute to mental health wards aiming to staff for ‘safety’ but not always for ‘therapy’. Challenges for staff include the emotionally demanding nature of their work; this can lead to staff burnout and sickness, and further strain on services. There are gaps in mental health workforce planning, particularly in community services where there is no evidence based workforce planning tool to support a standardised staffing establishment setting model. Digital support for safe and therapeutic care A lack of interoperability or integration between digital systems affects the provision of care across mental health, acute and community providers. Challenges in securing appropriate funding impacts on the ability of hospitals to integrate and update their digital services and infrastructure. Electronic patient record functionality is often not available or does not meet staff needs, and so it is not used. Examples include absent functions for food and fluid balance monitoring and risk assessment of venous thromboembolism (blood clots). Challenges in providing and maintaining patient-facing technology, for example televisions and payphones, impacts on the therapeutic environment and the ability of patients to maintain contact with families and loved ones. Where technology for monitoring patients had been introduced, implementation has required considerations to ensure it is used appropriately, is patient-centred, maintains therapeutic engagement, and supports patients to feel safe. Suicide risk and safety assessment ‘Doing’ tasks, like ‘ticking’ checklists, overshadow meaningful, empathetic ‘being’ interactions with patients. Open, compassionate conversations that build trust and therapeutic relationships, enabling patients to own their risk while feeling supported, can help mitigate this. Investigation processes can contribute to a fear of blame, and subsequently contribute to defensive practices such as checklists and a ‘tick box’ culture. This inhibits open and honest conversations and the ability to put the patient, as their authentic self, at the heart of them. Safety recommendations HSSIB recommends that the Department of Health and Social Care continues to work with the ‘recommendations but no action working group’ and other relevant organisations, to ensure that recommendations made by national organisations specific to mental health inpatient settings are reviewed. This work should consider the mechanisms that supported or hindered the implementation of actions from these recommendations. This may help the Department of Health and Social Care understand what has worked when implementing actions from recommendations and enable learning about why some recommendations have not achieved their intention. HSSIB recommends that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care directs and oversees the identification and development of a patient safety responsibilities and accountabilities strategy related to health and social care integration. This is to support the management of patient safety risks and issues that span integrated care systems. Safety observation National bodies can improve patient safety in mental health inpatient settings in England by supporting provider investment in equipment, digital systems and physical environments to enable conditions within which staff are able to provide, and patients can receive, safe and therapeutic care.
  15. News Article
    New figures from the NHS reveal that 31.4 million GP appointments were delivered in March 2025, a 6.1% increase on the same period last year and nearly 20% more than before the pandemic. This increase, the NHS claims, is due to GP practices adopting digital services to help meet growing demand while ensuring patients are directed to the right care more efficiently. Starting in October, all GP surgeries will be required to offer online appointment requests throughout working hours as part of a new contract, which aims to ease phone line pressure and allow smarter triaging based on medical need. Currently, 99% of GP practices in England have already upgraded their phone systems, expanding capacity and reducing long waits for patients. Professor Bola Owolabi, NHS England’s director of healthcare inequalities, said in a statement: “GP teams are delivering over 30 million appointments a month, up nearly 20% on pre-pandemic levels. Patients can also manage repeat prescriptions and view test results through the NHS App, making care more convenient.” The NHS has also announced that AI is enabling GPs and clinicians to cut the time spent on admin and increase the time and effort expended on patients. Data from AI trials shows an increase in patients seen by A&E, shorter appointments and more time by clinicians spent with the patient. Read full story Source: UK Authority, 30 April 2025
  16. Content Article
    The NHS is on the cusp of achieving 100% electronic patient record coverage in England, a significant milestone. However, research from the Health Foundation shows more needs to be done to reap the benefits. Key points Although England is on the verge of every NHS trust having an electronic patient record (EPR) system, a small number of organisations are still struggling to reach this milestone, and many more aren’t yet using these systems to their full potential. Used well, EPRs can deliver important improvements to care quality and productivity, ensuring staff have access to health information and supporting them to deliver safe and effective care. To explore the challenges in realising the benefits of EPRs, we conducted interviews with leaders in five acute NHS trusts in England, and also looked at an example from a leading US medical centre. This piece presents insights from these interviews and recommends next steps for unlocking the potential of EPRs. Simply ‘digitising paper’ doesn’t change the way we deliver care. NHS organisations need to be able to deploy EPR systems effectively to reap their benefits. Procuring and installing EPRs is merely the starting point for this journey. The experience of the US, where many providers are several years ahead of the UK in EPR use, reveals the hill to climb: reaching meaningful use of EPRs requires time, investment and cultural change. NHS providers can learn from those organisations in the UK and abroad who are further ahead with their EPR journeys. The government urgently needs to set out an EPR strategy for the NHS to facilitate effective benefits realisation – both to ensure trusts are getting the basics right, and to help develop and deploy higher order functionalities including AI. This will be as important as any digitisation plan of the last 20 years. Trusts will ultimately bear some of the responsibility for good implementation and usage of EPRs, and should be asked to develop their own plans to sit alongside the national roadmap. There’s no avoiding the fact that capitalising on EPRs is going to require more funding. But the prize further down the line will be advances in care quality and productivity. Having already made significant investment in acquiring EPRs, it is essential that NHS organisations are now supported to realise these benefits. There’s no time to lose. While the few trusts still to put EPRs in place need support to do so, the next stage of this strategy cannot wait for that.
  17. News Article
    NHS England is asking suppliers for advice on designing the “single patient record” (SPR), which is seeking to create a “single version of the truth” across the NHS and social care. It has launched a “pre-market engagement” on proposals for the SPR, which is intended to connect all individuals’ NHS and social care data. Documents reveal NHS England envisages the new system should “make the most of the existing NHS technology estate”, such as electronic patient records, but also asks suppliers which current technology will be “no longer required” when the SPR is introduced. It appears the SPR will effectively replace existing “summary care records”, which collate limited information from across various services, but will include significant extra functions. It says summary care records are “not comprehensive” as they are “read only” and “present data from care settings in tandem rather than creating a single version of the truth”. The SPR will also crucially go further by enabling staff and patients to write to the single shared record, rather than only reading from it. According to NHSE it will enable services to “better coordinate care between providers, make discharge summaries electronic, build neighbourhood health systems and run national vaccination and other direct care programmes”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 2 May 2025 Related reading on the hub: Digital-only prescription requests: An elderly woman sent round the houses The challenges of navigating the healthcare system: Sue's story
  18. Content Article
    The rapid evolution of digital health technologies offers new opportunities for healthcare systems while also increasing pressure on public budgets. Governments and insurers face growing challenges in determining what to fund and at what price. Health technology assessment (HTA) remains a critical tool for informing these decisions, and several OECD countries are exploring ways to adapt their approaches to the fast-changing and diverse landscape of digital medical devices. The absence of a common taxonomy, coupled with the rapid pace of technological advancement, further complicates evaluation, prompting interest in more harmonised HTA approaches. This paper explores how France, Germany, Israel, Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom are adapting HTA to evaluate certain types of digital medical devices for coverage and pricing decisions. Through desk research and interviews, it describes HTA approaches, focusing on relevant pathways, technology remits, and evaluation methods. Drawing on practical experiences, it highlights key challenges and potential learning opportunities. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions on adapting HTA frameworks to improve the assessment and integration of digital medical devices into healthcare systems.
  19. Content Article
    In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, patient safety and quality care remain the cornerstones of effective medical practice. Every day, healthcare professionals strive to provide treatments that not only heal but also protect patients from harm. As a passionate advocate for patient-centred care, Ssuuna Mujib, a volunteer at the Uganda Alliance of Patients' Organisations, believes that prioritising safety is not just a responsibility—it’s a moral imperative that shapes trust, outcomes and the future of healthcare. The importance of patient safety Patient safety refers to the prevention of errors and adverse effects associated with healthcare delivery. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), millions of patients worldwide suffer from preventable harm due to unsafe care each year. These incidents can range from medication errors to hospital-acquired infections, surgical complications or misdiagnoses. The consequences are profound, affecting patients’ lives, increasing healthcare costs and eroding trust in medical systems. Ensuring patient safety requires a multifaceted approach that involves healthcare providers, administrators, policymakers and patients themselves. By fostering a culture of safety, we can minimise risks and create an environment where quality care thrives. Key strategies for improving patient safety and care To deliver exceptional care while safeguarding patients, healthcare systems must adopt evidence-based practices and innovative solutions. Here are some critical strategies to enhance patient safety: 1. Effective communication Clear and open communication among healthcare teams is vital. Miscommunication can lead to errors, such as administering the wrong medication or misinterpreting a patient’s condition. Standardised tools like SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) can improve handoffs and ensure critical information is shared accurately. 2. Robust training and education Continuous professional development ensures that healthcare workers stay updated on best practices and emerging technologies. Training programmes should emphasise error prevention, infection control and patient engagement. Empowering staff with knowledge builds confidence and competence in delivering safe care. 3. Leveraging technology Technology plays a transformative role in patient safety. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) reduce documentation errors, while barcode medication administration systems help verify medications before they reach patients. Additionally, artificial intelligence tools can predict risks, such as sepsis, enabling early interventions. 4. Patient empowerment Patients are active partners in their care. Encouraging them to ask questions, understand their treatment plans and report concerns fosters shared decision making. Educating patients about their medications and procedures can prevent errors and enhance adherence. 5. Creating a culture of safety A blame-free environment encourages healthcare workers to report errors or near-misses without fear of retribution. Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) can identify systemic issues and drive improvements. Leadership must champion safety as a core value, setting the tone for the entire organisation. The role of compassion in patient care While systems and protocols are essential, the human element of care cannot be overlooked. Compassionate care builds trust and promotes healing. Listening to patients, respecting their dignity and addressing their fears create a therapeutic environment. When patients feel valued, they are more likely to engage in their treatment plans and communicate openly, reducing the risk of errors. Challenges and the path forward Despite progress, challenges like understaffing, resource constraints and burnout continue to threaten patient safety across the world. Addressing these requires investment in workforce development, equitable resource allocation and mental health support for healthcare workers. Collaboration between governments, healthcare institutions and communities is crucial to overcoming these barriers. Looking ahead, the integration of data analytics, telemedicine, and patient-reported outcomes will further revolutionise safety and care. By embracing innovation while staying grounded in empathy, we can build a healthcare system that is both safe and compassionate. A call to action Patient safety and care are shared responsibilities. As healthcare professionals, we must commit to continuous improvement, learning from mistakes and advocating for our patients. As patients, we should actively participate in our care and hold systems accountable. Together, we can create a future where every patient receives safe, high-quality care. Let’s work hand in hand to make patient safety not just a goal, but a reality.
  20. Content Article
    This guidance offers high-level information to assist those adopting ambient scribing products that feature Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), for use across health and care settings in England. These products are sometimes referred to as ambient scribes or AI scribes and include advanced ambient voice technologies (AVTs) used for clinical or patient documentation and workflow support. The guidance is intended for settings aiming to implement a specific product or function of an existing product. 
  21. Event
    until
    This HIMSS flagship event is Europe’s leading digital health conference. With expert-led sessions, it’s a chance for health tech leaders to network, share ideas, discuss real-world data and build partnerships. Attendees include CIOs and senior executives, health providers and payers, C-Suite tech leaders and entrepreneurs, and government officials. You can find the programme for the event here. You can find registration details here.
  22. News Article
    Patient safety risks are being created by central demands that NHS organisations adopt the new federated data platform and “close down” existing systems, according to the body representing the service’s analysts. In a letter to NHS England chief data and analytics officer Ming Tang, the Chief Data and Analytical Officers Network (CDAON) has stepped up earlier complaints about the FDP and its rollout, calling for a “reset” of NHSE’s approach. The letter also questions whether the FDP is fit for purpose in achieving the government’s goal of moving care into the community. The £330m seven-year contract to deliver the FDP platform was won by US data company Palantir in 2023. The FDP was originally launched on the basis that it could be used on a voluntary basis. However, under direction of ministers, NHSE has now moved to an “FDP-first policy”, to the alarm of many senior figures working in NHS technology. The letter, seen by HSJ, is signed by CDAON chair and Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board data chief Marc Farr and says: “Anecdotally we are aware of systems being directed to close down existing systems because the functionality is planned within the FDP… “However we are not convinced that the functionality is imminent and therefore that a risk to patient safety exists – we can cite specific examples.” Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 23 April 2025
  23. Content Article
    In today’s digital era, data is generated at an unprecedented scale. Healthcare is no exception— data is produced continuously as a result of our interactions with healthcare organisations - community, acute and tertiary alike. The challenge for healthcare institutions and their governance systems is to utilise this rich healthcare data  effectively and efficiently to improve patient outcomes. Towards this objective, AI is emerging as a key enabling tool. Infection prevention and control (IPC) units have varied work streams - infection surveillance, patient pathway monitoring, novel pathogen intelligence, policy and guidance directives and are best poised to take a leading role in utilising healthcare data to increase the impact of these activities.   IPC is poised to embrace the transformative potential of AI, ensuring its services evolve in step with technological advances.  Achieving this will require a multi-pronged approach to support the parallel development of both AI capabilities and IPC services.
  24. Content Article
    Lord Darzi’s review into the future of the NHS  calls for a “tilt towards technology” to unlock greater productivity. But there’s a hard reality: many parts of the NHS aren’t yet ready to take advantage of what tech has to offer. Meaning, there’s a missed opportunity for trusts to streamline operations and transform care. Only one in five NHS organisations are considered “digitally mature”. And despite lots of progress in the last decade, there are still areas of the NHS relying on paper and non-digital processes. It makes embracing new technologies, such as AI, feel like an unattainable goal – one that goes beyond moving the health service from analogue to digital. As we enter this new era for the NHS, data and digital skills across the workforce will be fundamental to improving patient care, streamlining processes, and making cost savings.
  25. Event
    until
    Surgical teams are under growing pressure, from rising case complexity and elective backlogs to increasing care demands and system fragmentation. But is it possible to redesign surgical pathways to improve both outcomes and efficiency? And what does good clinical pathway management really look like? On Wednesday 16 April 2025, Surgery International will host a free online webinar exploring the future of clinical pathway management through the lens of perioperative medicine. The session will bring together leading voices in surgery and digital health to explore how we can build safer, smarter and more connected surgical pathways, without losing sight of individual patient needs. Register
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.