UK health secretary Sajid Javid has set out a digital agenda to harness technological breakthroughs and drive transformation in the NHS and social care.

Speaking at the HSJ Digital Transformation Summit (24 Feb), Javid announced a digital health plan will be published in Spring, building on lessons from the pandemic.

He outlined four priorities for digital: ensuring the NHS is set up properly to succeed, levelling up across the NHS and social care, pursuing personalisation, and making “big breakthrough bets” on emerging technologies and data.

By December 2023, Javid aims for 90% of NHS trusts to have electronic patient record (EPR) systems, and the remaining 10% to be in the process of implementing them. He said that one in five trusts currently do not have EPRs, which he called “the essential prerequisite for a modern, digital NHS.”

The health secretary added that he wanted 80% of social care providers to adopt digital records for social care by March 2024. Currently 40% of social care providers are still paper based.

Javid also set out an ambition for 75% of adults in England to be registered for the NHS App by March 2024, emphasising the app was “for life not just for COVID.” Currently 50% of adults in England (around 24 million) use the app.

Another topic was the need to address the “stark diversity gap” in clinical trials, which Javid said work had started on, with the launch of a review into potential bias in medical devices being led by Dame Margaret Whitehead.

WHY IT MATTERS

Javid’s speech came on the day all remaining legal COVID-19 restrictions in England were lifted, as part of the ‘Living with COVID’ plan.

The digital agenda aims to help embed technologies to help clear the COVID backlog and reduce waiting lists.

With an increasingly ageing population, Javid suggested that remote monitoring technology used during COVID could help offer “dignified and independent care” to people, in their own home, minimising time spent in clinical settings.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Earlier this month interim arrangements were revealed for the NHS England’s new transformational directorate, which will incorporate NHSX and NHS Digital. The restructuring follows a review by NHS Digital chair Laura Wade-Gery, which recommended a more coherent approach to digital transformation within the NHS.

NHS England (NHSE) also recently published its 2022/2023 priorities and operations planning guidance setting out plans to level up digital maturity over the next year. This includes an aim for all patients to have access to digital-first primary care online by 2023/4.

ON THE RECORD

Javid said: “Due to the investment that we made before the pandemic and the huge strides forward that we took during the pandemic, we are now in an immensely strong position. In terms of digital transformation this is just the start. Just as a crisis can spark incredible change, it can also provide an incredible platform upon which to build.”