NHS Digital launches first ever e-nursing week

NHS Digital has launched its first ever e-nursing week in support of the campaign for a digital-ready workforce.

It comes as it also endorses the Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) campaign ‘Every nurse an e-nurse’.

It is estimated that nurses provide 80 per cent of patient care in many settings, and they are often the clinicians taking the step to utilise new technology and create innovative ways of improving care using new digital tools.

The campaign comes following a motion that was passed in 2016 by the RCN’s congress that by 2020 every UK nurse should be an e-nurse. They said that the effective use of information and digital technologies is key to delivering better health and social care.

NHS Digital exists to improve health and social care in England by making better use of technology, data and information. Its commitment to realising the ambition of ‘making every nurse an e-nurse’ is also closely aligned to Leading Change, Adding Value (LCAV), a framework for nursing, midwifery and care staff launched last year.

The framework includes a commitment to ‘championing the use of technology and informatics to improve practice, address unwarranted variations and enhance outcomes’.

Technology such as e-medicines, electronic observations and electronic patient records can majorly help in achieving better outcomes, experiences and use of resources.

Jane Cummings, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said: “I’m delighted that organisations across England are endorsing the ‘every nurse an e-nurse campaign’. Digital technology has a key role in improving delivery of care, health outcomes and efficiency and there is a real opportunity for all nursing, midwifery and care staff to take a lead on its development and use wherever they work.

“The significance of technology runs through Leading Change, Adding Value – the national framework for nursing, midwifery and care staff – and the campaign will help make the commitments in the framework a reality.”

Anne Cooper, chief nurse at NHS Digital, said: “Nurses are the bedrock of health and care – so much is asked of them and yet they consistently deliver world class care for their patients.

“The RCN is absolutely right to be placing such a priority on ensuring nurses across the NHS have the tools, skills and resources they need to make the best use of technology and act as effective e-nurses.

“We are pleased to endorse that campaign, and commit to working alongside them and other partners to play our role in delivering their ambition of making every nurse an e-nurse by 2020.

“NHS Digital’s products and services are helping to transform many of the facets of nursing, midwifery and care across the country.

“From electronic patient records, which have allowed nurses, midwives and care staff to utilise mobile working, to enabling safe sharing of data, such as through our Child Protection Information Sharing project, we are delivering 21st century solutions to enabling improved patient care in the digital age.”