“This is not one of those random technology initiatives – this is part of the commissioning infrastructure and part of the CQC inspection.” Tim Kelsey - NHS England’s National Director for Patients and Information
The ‘Five Year Forward View’ and Personalised Health and Care 2020 – A Framework for Action sets out a vision to make NHS patient data interoperable and paperless by 2020. If CCGs and Providers fail to engage with two key steps, the Digital Maturity Assessment and Digital Road Map, they may find themselves in special measures.
Here are the 3 things you need to know to avoid that:
Treating the Digital Maturity Assessment as a ‘Tick-box’ Exercise
The Digital Maturity Assessment, (due late January), measures a Provider’s digital readiness. The completion of the Assessment requires a well-evidenced and logical rationale and may be audited upon completion. Thereafter, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will annually review a Provider’s digital readiness using the digital maturity assessment as a benchmark. If the original digital maturity assessment: (1) underestimates the requirement for improvement; or (2) fails to identify the priority areas for improvement – future CQC inspections could be negative. This could push a provider into special measures.
Creating a Poorly Targeted Digital Road Map
Digital Road Maps, (due April 2016), provide a plan of action to create interoperable local health economies by 2020. CCGs will be held accountable for meeting milestones in their roadmap from 2016/17 onwards. Digital Roadmaps based on inaccurate information fail to prioritise areas for investment and contain unachievable milestones. This could lead CCGs to miss operational targets, and subsequently score a poor assurance rating, thus pushing them into special measures.
Missing Out on Key Funding by Failing to Identify Areas for Improvement
The size and mechanisms of NHS funding for technological improvement will not emerge until early 2016. However, NHS England has stated that: “as a minimum, we would expect any initiatives for which funding is sought to be included on the local digital roadmap” . Digital roadmaps which are inaccurate or fail to identify opportunities for improvement could reduce the funds available to CCGs and providers. These funds are vital to improving interoperability and maximising health outcomes at lower costs. Failing to improve in either of these areas is a sure way to land your organisation or wider health system in special measures.
Conclusion
From 2016/17 onwards providers, and in particular CCGs, will be accountable for the development of digital technologies for interoperability. With both the ‘Forward View’ and National Information Board expecting technological development to improve quality and safety of patient care, whilst making up a significant share of £22bn efficiency savings targeted for the next five years – organisations failing to engage in the process may find themselves playing catch-up… and ultimately in special measures.
