Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

TBF It's likely a nightmare to build a proper, built for purpose, IT system for the entire NHS. Which isn't helped by the 'everything must be done on the cheap' tender process. We really need a NHS-wide patient database that follows us everywhere.

There is also talk of mass collecting all these records, making them anonymous, and using all the data to better inform diagnoses and treatment procedures. The NHS is uniquely positioned to do this as well. No other country, at least anywhere near our size, does their medical system this way but given the leaps we might make with large data sets we could really benefit from it.

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

If we go by the last NHS IT fiasco l doubt they will have another try in a hurry.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24130684

https://www.computerweekly.com/opini...-for-IT-failed

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

Well they will have to try again eventually. It doesn't have to be one monolithic system but there should be a NHS-wide patient database imo.

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

l agree with everything you said but given the track record thus so far the chances of a decent enough NHS-wide database ever coming to fruition are not good.

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

I used to write code for the NHS many years back and we had our own patient system, had ward terminals where staff needed to swipe a barcode on their badges to login in. It didn't store patient clinical data though we were working on that. This was all in the good old DOS days. It all worked. Each month we supplied data back to a central clearing house who passed back to the sourcing NHS districts.

Each year the government changed the format for new submissions, including extra information and each year in May we ran our export for April and submitted the new data and each year big NHS areas that had expensive turnkey systems would ask us for the old format which we couldn't do as our systems no longer had the old data.

Also there were some huge manuals that defined how data items should be stored, e.g. values for gender, date formats, codes for GP. It show what information was needed for a patient, inpatient episodes, outpatient occurrences etc. It always seems obvious to me that GP's, hospitals etc can choose what ever system they want but it has to talk "NHS speak" to the outside. So the NHS/government defines how queries are made, how incoming data is formatted, and how answers are to be formatted. The developers of the various platforms have to implement the "interface", how they do it is up to them, it's irrelevant.

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

Well, if they were capable of specifying and procuring suitable systems to operate in the NHS, computers would make a tremendous difference.

The problem is, of course, that there is a lack of good computer experts in the NHS and every new system they introduce tends to be a disaster.

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

Some good news for a change :)
https://www.theguardian.com/society/...-study-nursing

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

It's a start but more are leaving than joining. We're losing out to other EU countries for obvious reasons. Over 40,000 nursing vacancies at the moment.

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

I'm sure you're willing to share those reasons with us ;)

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

I just see the NHS as a big greedy, but loveable, black Labrador. It doesn’t matter how much you feed it, it’s still hungry. It will eat and eat and eat and eat.

Until you realise, the dog isn’t the issue, it’s you. You keep feeding it all the time and you think you’re doing the right thing.

No. Check what it needs, measure your portions. Find out exactly what it needs and feed it accordingly. You’ll have a nice trim and healthier dog that can run around and play all day. instead of a fat one that everyone loves, but doesn’t Do much.

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

So you think the NHS doesn't do much is a bit of a dog ? :rolleyes:

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

There's another angle to consider in the modernization of the NHS IT systems and it sits in the primary care aspect of things.

Many years ago i was involved in Choose & Book, ETP, PACS & The Spine. I was asked to observe the training of GP's on C&B and none of them wanted it, and none of them would use it. not so sure how much have things changed. But there was a ridiculous amount of resistance to change

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

The Germans are nicking our Polish nurses! How dare they steal our immigrants ! Tbh, they probably won't take a lot of persuading given the abuse some get here.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...y_to_clipboard

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

Nothing to worry about, apparently there are millions on non europeans flooding in as we speak ;)

Re: Crisis in the NHS
 

Yes, the reaction to suggesting email is used reflects the resistance to overdue change. Like a lot of change management, it's the people not the technology that is the hurdle.