Smarter NHS technology improving care

NHS England has shared details on how hospitals are using smarter technology to halve the number of cardiac arrests, treat Sepsis patients faster and free up thousands of hours of for staff.

Speaking at the Association of British Pharmaceuticals Industry annual conference, Simon Stevens, NHS England chief executive, celebrated how an e-observation system at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust has contributed towards a 46 per cent reduction in cardiac arrests, 50 fewer patients each year. Alongside the earlier identification and intervention of deteriorating patients at the trust, their Sepsis screening tool has helped speed up treatment.

Additionally, London’s Imperial College NHS Trust is also using an e-observation system that connects directly to the trust’s EPR system, reducing the time required to input observations by up to 50 per cent, and reducing error in the process. It is hoped that full roll out of the system will be completed by early May, with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust anticipating it will help to release 20,000 hours of nurses’ time per year which they can instead devote to direct patient care.

Stevens said: “The NHS has a proud history of delivering pioneering treatments. As we celebrate the 70th anniversary, the NHS is working harder than ever to save lives and improve care by embracing cutting edge technology like CAR-T therapy and spreading innovation across the whole health service.

“However we can’t do this alone and we need the help of the manufacturers to ensure we can get these treatments to patients as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Preparations are underway to make CAR-T, one of the most innovative treatments that has ever been offered on the NHS available to patients, but manufacturers need to set fair and affordable prices so treatments can be made available to all who need them.”