MPs to examine replacement of outdated technology to improve patient care

MPs will next week examine how improvements in IT and digital could save time for clinicians and lead to better care for patients in the first hearing of the inquiry considering digital transformation in the NHS.

With a focus on workforce, this session will address to what extent new digital technologies are being designed for ease of use and how far clinicians are involved in digital transformation.

Evidence submitted to the committee by the BMA has suggested that 13.5 million working hours were lost annually in the NHS as a result of inadequate IT systems, the equivalent of nearly 8,000 full time doctors.

Tuesday 15 November

Witnesses, 11.00:

Panel 1

• Pritesh Mistry, Fellow, The King's Fund
• Karen Payne, Topol Digital Fellow, NHS Dorset

Panel 2, from approx. 11.45:

• Dr Paul Atkinson, Chair, Health Informatics Group, Royal College of General Practitioners
• John Dean, Clinical Vice President, Royal College of Physicians

Note to editors: 

In future sessions, the inquiry will consider key aspects of NHS digital transformation such as digitalising health and care records for interoperability so that they can be accessed across primary, secondary and social care. The inquiry will also consider how to prevent digital health inequalities and how to inform patients of the potential benefits of digital approaches to healthcare.