Summary
The National Audit Office has criticised the General Practice Extraction Service (GPES), i.e. the GP IT system intended to improve quality and planning in the NHS, for running over budget and behind schedule.
The big idea behind the GPES system was to facilitate the collection of information from GP surgeries, including data relating to the number of patients diagnosed with dementia or getting immunised. This was intended to improve NHS efficiency generally, determine how much doctors are paid, and help broad-ranging research and monitoring. GPES was intended to share data from GP systems in England with bodies across the health service, but has so far only provided information to NHS England.
The GPES system cost the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) £40 million to develop, instead of the predicted £14 million. It became partially operational years later than expected.
“Mistakes in the original procurement and contract management contributed to losses of public funds, through asset write-offs and settlements with suppliers. The need for the service remains and further public expenditure is needed to improve GPES or replace it”. (NAO Executive Summary. p.5).
Reference
IT system for GP records criticised. London: BBC Health News, July 2nd 2015.
This relates to:
Reference
General Practice Extraction Service – Investigation. Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 30 June 2015. HC 265. Session 2015-16. London: National Audit Office, July 2nd 2015.
There is also an Executive Summary.
Big Picture Vision and Progress Update From the NIB
Meanwhile, the National Information Board’s plans to improve digital services in health and care are reported to be going well and have much to offer, not the least in supporting delivery of the Five Year Forward View. There are six priority areas, or domains:
- Enable me to make the right health and care choices: supporting digital services for patients and citizens.
- Transforming general practice.
- Out of hospital care and integration with social care.
- Acute and hospital services.
- Paper-free healthcare and system transactions.
- Data for outcomes and research.
Reference
Implementing ‘Personalised Health and Care 2020’. London: National Information Board, June 25th 2015.
This relates to:
Reference
Delivering the Five Year Forward View: Personalised Health and Care 2020. London: National Information Board, June 22nd 2015.
The NIB has published a set of work stream “roadmaps”:
- Work stream 1.1: Enable me to make the right health and care choices.
- Work stream 1.2: Enable me to make the right health and care choices.
- Work stream 2.1: Give care professionals and carers access to all the data they need.
- Work stream 2.2: Give care professional and carer access to all the data they need.
- Work stream 3: Make the quality of care transparent.
- Work stream 4: Build and sustain public trust.
- Work stream 5: Bring forward life-saving treatments and support innovation and growth.
- Work stream 6: Support care professionals to make the best use of data and technology.
- Work stream 7 is not mentioned.
- Work stream 8: Enabling information standards.
A map to this roadmap information is accessible here:
Reference
Plans to improve digital services for the health and care sector. London: National Information Board, June 19th 2015.
Towards Personalised Health and Care 2020: September 2015 Update
A review of progress from NHS England, prior to the Expo 2015 event.
“The National Information Board brings together national health and care organisations from the NHS, public health, clinical science, social care and local government, along with appointed independent representatives to develop the strategic priorities for putting data and technology safely to work for patients, service users, citizens and the professionals who serve them”.
Reference
Cutting reliance on paper will make patients safer, says NHS England. London: NHS England, September 1st 2015.
