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Yesterday, the Department of Health published Professor Robert Wachter's Review, Making IT work: harnessing the power of health IT to improve care in England.                                           

techUK met with Professor Wachter earlier this year and set out clear recommendations for his report. The tech industry has an essential role to play in supporting the implementation of his  Report, and we welcomed the opportunity to provide early input to his work.

Commissioned by Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt, the Review outlines key recommendations from the US-based "digital doctor" on what must be done next to ensure successful implementation of health and social care IT in England. 

Responding to the Review, Naureen Khan, Director of Public Services at techUK said:

"This report tackles some crucial issues for the NHS.  

“Technology needs to be at the heart of our modern health service, and the role of the tech industry is integral to ensuring effective and efficient delivery of services.

“We're delighted to see many of techUK's recommendations included in Professor Wachter's Review. In particular, the emphasis on the role of the Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO) at both national and Trust-level is something techUK has long campaigned for. We believe the appointment of CCIOs, as well as the focus on others trained in clinical care and informatics, will have a positive impact on the implementation of new technology across the NHS. It’s encouraging that we already have evidence of this at the top, with the appointment of NHS CCIO Keith McNeil in July.  

“It’s good news for patients, care providers and industry that the importance of interoperability is recognised in the report.  techUK and our members have championed the principles of widespread interoperability via our Interoperability Charter – launched last year – and have worked to ensure that suppliers are at the forefront of the charge for seamless care delivery.  The focus on an initial aim of regional interoperability by 2020 and a fully interoperating national service by 2022 is eminently achievable if NHS England and NHS Digital continue to work closely with industry.

“However, the absence of any acknowledgement of the role of social care in the Review is a disappointment. Although he and his advisory board were commissioned by the Secretary of State to examine IT in the NHS, our modern health service goes beyond primary and secondary care, with critical care for many citizens taking place in a social care setting.

“Without adequate focus and resources on the digitisation of social care, as well as genuine interoperability between health and social systems, we risk compromising the quality of care available to patients. This is a clear, concise report that addresses many – though not all – of the key concerns for the tech industry working in the NHS. We look forward to working with NHS England, NHS Digital and the Department of Health to implement these recommendations and to deliver on the ambitions of Professor Wachter and his team.” 

See the full recommendations and report here