Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 130
Strategic oversight lacking for widespread adoption of automation in hospital medicines management.
Recommendation
There are clearly benefits to be found from using automation and technology particularly within hospital medicines management. These benefits could unlock gains in productivity, improve patient safety and free up pharmacist time to work more directly with patients. There are pockets of excellent practice across the NHS, but, outside of formal programmes like the Global Digital Exemplar programme, this is often driven by innovation from key individuals in pharmacy departments and can lack more senior support. To ensure equal access to high quality care, and in the context of the ongoing New Hospitals Programme, NHS England needs to have a more strategic view for how medicines are managed in hospitals across the country.
Government Response Summary
The government will consider the recommendation for a more strategic view for how medicines are managed in hospitals as part of the development of the 10 Year Health Plan and how this can be applied to Trusts across England.
Paragraph Reference:
130
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
Partially Accept This Government inherited a system that has been neglected for too long. We are committed to exploring opportunities to make use of technology as we look to develop and support our NHS in line with the shift from analogue to digital, as part of the 10 Year Health Plan. We will therefore consider this recommendation as part of the development of this objective, and any lessons learned from the Global Digital Exemplars and how this can be applied to Trusts across England