Craig Whittaker is the MP for Calder Valley
The National Health Service (NHS) is a beloved institution that is deeply embedded in the hearts and minds of the British people, a point which is consistently reflected when I speak to my constituents in Calder Valley. From its inception in 1948, the NHS has provided free healthcare to all UK citizens, regardless of their income or social status. This has rightly been a source of pride and inspiration for our country and has helped position the UK as a global leader in innovation and expertise.
With that being said, the NHS has long been regarded as one of the most complex organisations in the world, employing over a million people and commanding a budget of over £190 billion. Its vast size and scope have made effective change particularly difficult to implement, with this point most clearly evidenced when you consider the application of information technology (IT) systems – and the many efforts in this area which have ultimately failed to deliver the desired results.
In 2002 a plan to create the world’s largest single civilian computer system linking all parts of the NHS was announced. Nine years later and after billions had already been spent, the doomed computer system was abandoned. Although The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) acknowledges that, while the intention of creating a centralised database of electronic patient records was a “worthwhile aim”, a huge amount of money had been wasted.
Equally, in 2013, NHS Digital revealed the controversial Care. data programme. It aimed to extract data from GP surgeries into a central database, a potentially revolutionary system bringing together previously siloed data. Nevertheless, initial criticism concerning a lack of clarity around methods for opting out of the data extraction persisted and the programme was abandoned in July 2016 with a bill totalling nearly £8 million.
During volunteering sessions at Calderdale Royal Hospital, my local accident and emergency, I’ve been struck by the personal stories offering a sobering glimpse into the ongoing crisis and the stark reality of the situation on the ground. It’s important to note, this situation is not a reflection of the dedicated staff on the front line, who care for the British public all year round. The NHS is and should always be people’s first port of call in a health emergency.
But in its current state, grappling with severe capacity and delay issues – further amplified by the pandemic – the service needs solutions which can help fix it. This is a point Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary, has recently picked up on in an opinion piece for The Daily Telegraph, where he laid out his plan for the service and pinpointed technology as the solution to “help fix the NHS.”
In April 2022 NHS England announced plans for a £240 million Federated Data Platform (FDP), intended to be “an ecosystem of technologies and services.” As seen with previous healthcare IT projects, there has been a lot made of the benefits the FDP can offer the service if implemented correctly. Nevertheless, since April, the value of the contract has doubled to £480 million and rights groups have threatened legal action.
These developments worryingly mirror the previously abandoned NHS projects in 2002 and 2013. Yet it is clear that the ever-growing benefits of digital technology within healthcare are too great to ignore, especially when you introduce the leaps and bounds made with artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, which now has the capability to greatly reduce waiting lists and unlock capacity.
A new project supported by ministers and NHS Blood & Transplant has recently highlighted this, using AI technology to increase the number of organs available for surgeries. This technology identifies the organs with the highest likelihood of successful transplantation, with early estimates positively suggesting that this could lead to 200 more patients receiving kidneys and 100 more receiving liver transplants every year in the UK.
Considering this, it is imperative decision makers begin taking learnings from the past – where inflated supplier contracts were awarded, data privacy concerns were not addressed, and an appropriate level of care was not afforded to taxpayers – and ensure more robust scrutiny is exercised. This already looks to be in danger of failing with the current FDP procurement process publicly criticised by privacy campaigners and legal groups – who have been calling for greater clarity over the fair and open process.
At a time when the NHS, a cornerstone of British society, is experiencing the most severe pressure in its 70-year history and performing poorly relative to its own targets, implementing a solution with the potential to achieve measurable improvements must be a priority – especially when you consider the vast advantages technology can now offer if utilised correctly.
That is why I’m calling on both NHS England and the Government to avoid repeating past mistakes. Through greater oversight and scrutiny of the needs of the project, we should secure the best available technology that can develop at pace with innovation in AI, ensuring that we are not paying for outdated technology before we start.
Overall, the National Health Service is loved in the UK because it represents the best of what a healthcare system can be. It is a source of pride and inspiration for the UK and will continue to be a vital part of the country’s social fabric for generations to come. However, to ensure this is the case, the NHS must unlock the full potential of digital technology within healthcare and create a system that truly serves the needs of all patients, learning from the past and ensuring greater oversight and scrutiny of the process is exercised.
Craig Whittaker is the MP for Calder Valley
The National Health Service (NHS) is a beloved institution that is deeply embedded in the hearts and minds of the British people, a point which is consistently reflected when I speak to my constituents in Calder Valley. From its inception in 1948, the NHS has provided free healthcare to all UK citizens, regardless of their income or social status. This has rightly been a source of pride and inspiration for our country and has helped position the UK as a global leader in innovation and expertise.
With that being said, the NHS has long been regarded as one of the most complex organisations in the world, employing over a million people and commanding a budget of over £190 billion. Its vast size and scope have made effective change particularly difficult to implement, with this point most clearly evidenced when you consider the application of information technology (IT) systems – and the many efforts in this area which have ultimately failed to deliver the desired results.
In 2002 a plan to create the world’s largest single civilian computer system linking all parts of the NHS was announced. Nine years later and after billions had already been spent, the doomed computer system was abandoned. Although The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) acknowledges that, while the intention of creating a centralised database of electronic patient records was a “worthwhile aim”, a huge amount of money had been wasted.
Equally, in 2013, NHS Digital revealed the controversial Care. data programme. It aimed to extract data from GP surgeries into a central database, a potentially revolutionary system bringing together previously siloed data. Nevertheless, initial criticism concerning a lack of clarity around methods for opting out of the data extraction persisted and the programme was abandoned in July 2016 with a bill totalling nearly £8 million.
During volunteering sessions at Calderdale Royal Hospital, my local accident and emergency, I’ve been struck by the personal stories offering a sobering glimpse into the ongoing crisis and the stark reality of the situation on the ground. It’s important to note, this situation is not a reflection of the dedicated staff on the front line, who care for the British public all year round. The NHS is and should always be people’s first port of call in a health emergency.
But in its current state, grappling with severe capacity and delay issues – further amplified by the pandemic – the service needs solutions which can help fix it. This is a point Steve Barclay, the Health Secretary, has recently picked up on in an opinion piece for The Daily Telegraph, where he laid out his plan for the service and pinpointed technology as the solution to “help fix the NHS.”
In April 2022 NHS England announced plans for a £240 million Federated Data Platform (FDP), intended to be “an ecosystem of technologies and services.” As seen with previous healthcare IT projects, there has been a lot made of the benefits the FDP can offer the service if implemented correctly. Nevertheless, since April, the value of the contract has doubled to £480 million and rights groups have threatened legal action.
These developments worryingly mirror the previously abandoned NHS projects in 2002 and 2013. Yet it is clear that the ever-growing benefits of digital technology within healthcare are too great to ignore, especially when you introduce the leaps and bounds made with artificial intelligence and machine learning technology, which now has the capability to greatly reduce waiting lists and unlock capacity.
A new project supported by ministers and NHS Blood & Transplant has recently highlighted this, using AI technology to increase the number of organs available for surgeries. This technology identifies the organs with the highest likelihood of successful transplantation, with early estimates positively suggesting that this could lead to 200 more patients receiving kidneys and 100 more receiving liver transplants every year in the UK.
Considering this, it is imperative decision makers begin taking learnings from the past – where inflated supplier contracts were awarded, data privacy concerns were not addressed, and an appropriate level of care was not afforded to taxpayers – and ensure more robust scrutiny is exercised. This already looks to be in danger of failing with the current FDP procurement process publicly criticised by privacy campaigners and legal groups – who have been calling for greater clarity over the fair and open process.
At a time when the NHS, a cornerstone of British society, is experiencing the most severe pressure in its 70-year history and performing poorly relative to its own targets, implementing a solution with the potential to achieve measurable improvements must be a priority – especially when you consider the vast advantages technology can now offer if utilised correctly.
That is why I’m calling on both NHS England and the Government to avoid repeating past mistakes. Through greater oversight and scrutiny of the needs of the project, we should secure the best available technology that can develop at pace with innovation in AI, ensuring that we are not paying for outdated technology before we start.
Overall, the National Health Service is loved in the UK because it represents the best of what a healthcare system can be. It is a source of pride and inspiration for the UK and will continue to be a vital part of the country’s social fabric for generations to come. However, to ensure this is the case, the NHS must unlock the full potential of digital technology within healthcare and create a system that truly serves the needs of all patients, learning from the past and ensuring greater oversight and scrutiny of the process is exercised.