DH digital strategy released
pharmafile | December 21, 2012 | News story | Medical Communications | DH, NHS, digital
The Department of Health has signalled its desire to make a splash in the digital pond with the release of an ambitious strategy on information sharing.
It is the latest individual department to do so under the government’s over-arching digital strategy which was launched last month.
The DH document sets the bar high, talking of “stewarding the health and care system towards a health information revolution” – although it also accepts that 10% of the population will never go online.
Early next year it will pilot what it calls a ‘digital first’ approach to all communications activity and evaluation. This follows the DH’s ten-year information strategy, published in May, the most eye-catching line of which was that patients will be able to view their GP record online by 2015.
Linking data to industry and research as well as to patients and the public should, in theory, give the DH insight into the way patients are treated from beginning to end, the government believes.
“Sharing experiences through social channels equips people with information to help them to get the right support or care,” a DH statement says. “Remote diagnosis and surgery are no longer the stuff of science fiction.”
Transparency of data has certainly been one of the guiding tenets of NHS reform and the newly-published digital strategy commits the DH to:
- improving the development of open policymaking
- increasing the effectiveness of its comms
- developing required digital skills across the NHS
- improving day-to-day efficiency.
“Monitoring social media channels generates valuable insight into what citizens really think,” says Rachel Neaman, DH digital leader.
“Holding webchats and inviting online comment actively engages people in debate,” she goes on. “Crowdsourcing ideas and polling views contributes to policy making. And consulting and asking for input can influence legislation – all the stuff of a modern democratic government.”
Digital is expected to be at the heart of policy, used to evaluate data and increase engagement: the idea is that policymakers will be trained to use digital toolkits and a minimum digital standard will be put in place for all formal consultations.
Virtual networks for internal teams and stakeholders to share information and ideas are to be established, and staff will be encouraged to use social channels for comms.
Other plans include adopting a transparent ‘open by default’ principle when it comes to information, putting in place new knowledge management systems in early 2013 and new protocols on fast-track approvals of procuring external digital products.
Adam Hill
Related Content
A community-first future: which pathways will get us there?
In the final Gateway to Local Adoption article of 2025, Visions4Health caught up with Julian …
The Pharma Files: with Dr Ewen Cameron, Chief Executive of West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Pharmafile chats with Dr Ewen Cameron, Chief Executive of West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, about …
Is this an Oppenheimer moment for the life sciences industry?
By Sabina Syed, Managing Director at Visions4Health In the history of science, few initiatives demonstrate …
