Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
Accepted
Future transformation plans heavily rely on digital technology for patient-centred care delivery.
Conclusion
The Department of Health and Social Care (the Department) told us that future plans for transformation will involve changing the way that care is delivered, including using digital technology in different ways.44 The Department said that in practice the transformation plans outlined in the 10 Year Plan will involve putting as much as possible in the hands of people who use healthcare services. This could be through the NHS app and other digital technologies so that people who do not need to physically come in for outpatient care have other options.45 NHSE told us that in diagnostics, digital transformation will allow test results from a clinician in one part of the country to be seen in another part of the country to prevent the need for undertaking repeat tests which might inflate the demand for diagnostics.46
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and describes the ongoing shift to digital in elective care transformation, emphasising the need for organisational and cultural change, deploying interoperable Electronic Patient Records, strengthening cyber security, and ensuring transparent data governance.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Recommendation implemented 4.2 The shift from analogue to digital underpins elective care transformation by enabling new models of care, operational change and improved use of data. Achieving this requires organisational and cultural change, not just technology. Digital adoption will continue to support efficiency gains, including improved waiting list validation and reduced Did Not Attends (DNAs). 4.3 Progress depends on replacing legacy systems, deploying interoperable Electronic Patient Records (EPRs), strengthening cyber security and ensuring transparent data governance. A secure, scalable infrastructure will also enable more care to be delivered in the community. 4.4 Digital diagnostics are increasing connectivity within and between networks, enabling shared requests, tests and results, improving productivity and supporting seamless pathways. The Federated Data Platform is helping optimise theatre use and accelerate discharge of long-stay patients. The AI Diagnostic Fund, active in over half of trusts, is advancing AI- enabled imaging. Ambient AI will reduce administrative burden for clinicians, increasing available capacity. 4.5 Transformation of the e-Referral Service will expand Advice and Guidance and Single Point of Access models to reduce unnecessary referrals and speed up triage in support of elective care. It will also introduce “any-to-any” referral capability across all care settings. Full connection of acute hospitals to the NHS App by April 2026 will support a shift away from default in-person appointments, enabling wider use of remote monitoring, Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) and automated rescheduling. 4.6 Digital change will reinforce implementation of best-practice pathways, reducing unwarranted variation in follow-ups and freeing capacity, delivered alongside clinical and operational transformation rather than as a stand-alone solution.