Joined up care – joined up systems

Eight years after the The National Programme for IT (NPfIT) was scrapped in favour of a modular ‘connect all’ approach to information and communication technology (ICT), Trusts are ramping up efforts to integrate their information systems and join up care. 

With the introduction of integrated care systems, hospitals are exploring new ways of using digital innovation to empower clinical teams across whole health systems. Moreover, there’s widespread recognition that the traditional approach – where clinical information is stored in isolated systems and locked off from the rest of the world – is no longer acceptable. If the NHS is to deliver affordable care Trusts must make better use of all the data that’s generated across pathways and use it to inform high quality services.

It’s no surprise that hospitals are pursuing more integrated ICT models where information from clinical systems is consolidated into data warehouses and visualised through a single interface. It’s a sensible approach. But in the rush for the single view, Trusts must be careful they don’t overlook the front-line value of niche clinical systems. Ultimately, in an NHS struggling with rising demand, integration between core and specialist systems will play a crucial role in designing the sustainable pathways of the future.