{"id":1372,"date":"2019-10-10T10:49:41","date_gmt":"2019-10-10T09:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ec-projects.co.uk\/intersystems-uki\/?p=1372"},"modified":"2019-10-10T14:11:49","modified_gmt":"2019-10-10T13:11:49","slug":"juhc19-the-view-from-the-kings-fund","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ec-projects.co.uk\/intersystems-uki\/juhc19-the-view-from-the-kings-fund\/","title":{"rendered":"JUHC19: The view from the King’s Fund"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"JUHC<\/a><\/p>\n

Matt Honeyman, a researcher from the King\u2019s Fund, came to Birmingham to talk to JUHC19 about \u201cthe context and challenges of digitisation in the NHS\u201d, drawing on some of the work the independent think-tank has done over the past few years, including its reports \u2018Clicks and Mortar<\/a>\u2019 and \u2018Digital Change in Health and Social Care<\/a>\u2019. Six themes had come out of its work, he said.<\/p>\n

One: nothing is set in stone<\/strong>. \u201cThere is a theory in society that once technology has been built it will determine the features of the structure that uses it. But if you apply that idea to health you end up with ideas like Babylon Health is going to revolutionise primary care, so you only go into hospital when you need to, or electronic patient records in hospitals will change the way clinicians work. And everybody in this room knows that is not the case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, Honeyman argued, the system and the incentives applied to it will affect how technology is used. He also argued that technology needs to address the big issues that the NHS is facing, such as staffing, and demand. However, in doing that, it needs to remember:<\/p>\n

Two: complexity abounds<\/strong>: Many studies, including the report on NHS IT by Professor Robert Wachter<\/a>, have shown that IT tends to automate work before it changes. \u201cSo the underlying message here<\/a> is that this is adaptive: it is not a simple application of something that is going to bring about change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three: data is everything<\/strong>. \u201cI always use this word corollary. We create data on a vast scale, and it can support change (the reports mentioned above discuss pathway redesign and new digital services for patients). However, when working with data, it is important to remember \u2018politics\u2019: staff and patients must feel comfortable with the way data is being used, and feel they are getting \u2018a fair deal\u2019 when partnerships are struck for research.\u201d Honeyman noted that, both in an out of healthcare this is a coming issue: \u201cIt is also being mentioned in the context of the B-word, Brexit, and trade talks: so we need to be mindful about the context of this work and what it does.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four: work and the workforce: <\/strong>\u201cThere is lots of evidence that work and working will be improved by the introduction of technology. Eric Topol, the doctor who came over to talk about technology and the workforce<\/a>, talked about \u2018the gift of time\u2019 that it can deliver. But there are some downsides, and we have to make sure that staff are empowered when they going through this kind of change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five: engagement of staff, citizens, communities, users: <\/strong>\u201cEverybody we spoke to said this was critical. When you are making change, you need to engage with users and communities, and you need to make it early and continuous. Also make sure that you reach out to people who may be less co-operative with you. We spoke to one nurse who found the one consultant that was stopping her project and she went out of her way to find and meet him and win him round.\u201d<\/p>\n

Six: William Gibson was right: <\/strong>\u201cThe future is already here it is just unevenly distributed.\u201d However, Honeyman pointed out that there are variations of this quote: some peope add \u2018yet\u2019 and some say it is \u2018just in testing’.\u2019 \u201cWhich you like indicates whether you are a pessimist or optimist or software developer. But what we need to do is keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cDigitisation is complex\u201d @matt_h<\/a> from @TheKingsFund<\/a> discusses how to address the lessons of its work for health policy makers who want to drive large scale digitisation of the #NHS<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/gdhRnpTTqm<\/a><\/p>\n

— Highland Marketing (@HighlandMarktng) October 10, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n