Daily Insight: Wanted – new IT systems

Although announced by a now departed health secretary, the targets to increase the number of trusts with electronic patient record systems is a vital priority for NHS chiefs.

As part of this work, trusts have also been told to ensure their EPRs are of a suitable level by 2025 – by which point the NHS should have reached a “core level of digitisation”.

It’s one hell of a challenge, with only one in five trusts so far operating an EPR that is compliant with NHSE’s requirement.

Yesterday HSJ revealed that 36 trusts are considering launching procurements for new EPRs which will – in time – bring them in line with NHSE’s target.

This begs the question of how these procurement exercises can be streamlined and made more efficient, without forcing trusts to buy a system they do not want to use.

With trusts and integrated care systems encouraged to rationalise the number of EPRs relied on, perhaps an idea is to club together within ICSs to run joint procurements.

But few digital transformations can stir up as much frustration and problems  as EPRs, meaning the trusts will have to tread carefully.

ICS leader rails against energy cut-offs

Clinically vulnerable people are being admitted to hospital because their energy supplies have been disconnected, an ICS leader has said.

Sam Allen, chief executive of North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, described the situation as “life threatening” as people have seen their electricity and gas supplies cut off as a result of non-payment.

Ms Allen has written to Ofgem calling for the disconnection policy for energy companies to mirror that of the water industry – where domestic supplies cannot be disconnected.

In her letter to Ofgem chief executive Jonathan Brearley, she said such a move would “save lives”.

The regulator said it would respond to the serious concerns raised in Ms Allen’s letter.