In a lively digital health session, Juliet Bauer, chief digital officer for NHS England, delivered an in-depth look into the role of digital technology in reconfiguring how we deliver health and care.
During the 90 minute discussion, chaired by Professor Tony Young, innovation director at NHS England, she argued that despite the ongoing progress and digital transformation, technology would never replace people, saying: ‘Technology is to extend humanity, not replace it’.
Juliet then gave delegates an in-depth look at how digital transformation in health would support clinicians, integrate services, empower patients, and bring the NHS into the 21st century.
Technology is to extend humanity, not replace it.
At the forefront of this transformation, she explained, is the NHS’ plan to relaunch nhs.uk in September, to replace NHS Choices with an improved website optimised for mobile devices. Alongside the launch, the NHS App will also be rolled out later this year, allowing access to a range of basic services that ‘everyone in the country should be able to access’, including patient records, GP appointments, online 111, ordering repeat prescriptions, organ donation and end of life care as well as forming a platform for other web-based services.
‘We are striving for a digital first NHS for all those who want it, but recognising that this won’t be for everyone’ Juliet said. ‘This will however require a change in a culture – being open about what we are doing is critical. NHS England have published a roadmap detailing the plans and are talking to stakeholders and patients.’
Professor Young, discussing key principles of digital and innovation in health, added that ‘digital innovation will be key to the transformation of the NHS’, although a key difficulty would be ‘not in adopting new ideas but persuading people to let go of old ones.’