Daily Insight: A challenging target

Analysis by HSJ shows the NHS faces a real challenge in achieving a new target regarding the use of electronic patient record systems.

By the end of 2023, the government aims to have 90 per cent of trusts using an EPR, with the remaining 10 per cent being in the process of implementing an EPR system.

According to our research, at least 27 trusts do not have an EPR presently, while several other trusts’ systems are unlikely to be deemed good enough to be included in the count so far.

The 27 trusts are spread across 19 integrated care systems, and include major teaching hospitals such as Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals FT.

However, for many of the trusts, procurement of an EPR is under way. Several trusts are also planning to run joint procurements or implement an EPR system already in use within their ICS.

NHS Providers’ policy director Miriam Deakin said: “Trust leaders know that it’s vital to get EPRs right, but they are delivering this while over-stretched staff are working flat out to tackle backlogs and deliver care to patients as quickly as they can.”

Culture wars

Another week and another two high-profile departures from a mental health trust which has recently come under scrutiny for its “cultural and governance problems”. 

Tavistock and Portman FT’s nursing director and chief medical officer are leaving for ICS roles, HSJ reported yesterday. 

A third leader, the acting HR director, is returning to his substantive, more junior role. The raft of changes comes days after long-serving CEO Paul Jenkins announced he is retiring and chair Paul Burstow revealed his exit earlier this month.

News of the departures came in the trust’s May board papers, which also shed light on its worsening bullying and harassment problem.

Worrying data from the NHS staff survey about people’s ability to speak up, combined with an increase in bullying and harassment reports, led to the trust’s Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Sarah Stenlake identifying a “significant problem” affecting worker safety, patient care and staff retention.

She described the situation as “highly concerning” and also sounded the alarm over the impact of a high-profile whistleblowing case involving a safeguarding expert concerned about the trust’s gender identity clinic.

It is said to have impacted staff’s ability to speak up, with three employees alleging “mistreatment” in their own cases.