Lack of digital interoperability leads to poor outcomes

Primary care has always been the front door to the NHS, but low financial settlements and increasing demand have left it having to do more with less. The rising waiting lists since the pandemic, in addition to an ageing population, also mean that practices are often treating patients with more complex or multiple conditions.

On top of all this, GPs and their teams face increasing bureaucracy, which often takes their time away from vital patient care. This is frustrating for them because they want to provide the best care possible to their patients rather than filling in paperwork.

So, it was very welcome to hear the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, announce last month that the Government will be launching a Red Tape Challenge to cut down on bureaucracy as part of a bid to free up more GP time to spend with patients.

We support this challenge and believe it’s right that NHS England works with stakeholders across the country to tackle the problem of excessive bureaucracy. But we know this is not just a problem for general practice. Other parts of the system – like secondary care – should not be overlooked.

While we look forward to working with NHS England on the challenge, we already know some key measures that could reduce the bureaucratic burden on systems.

Our members tell us that a lack of digital interoperability between different providers increases the bureaucratic load on GPs. It can lead, in extreme cases, to information on patients taking days or weeks to move between hospitals and primary care.

The lack of funding and variation in digital infrastructure also means that clinicians are often using outdated software on poorly functioning hardware. This results in poor outcomes for patients and staff. We need to make it easier for hospitals and GPs to communicate, talk and share information about patients, which should reduce the bureaucracy for staff in both sectors.

Digital interoperability between the NHS and pharmacies can also be challenging at times. This lack of communication can lead to patients being prescribed out-of-stock medication. This risks reducing patient satisfaction in the NHS if people feel they are being pushed from pillar to post between their surgery and pharmacy to get the prescription they need. This could be avoided with better digital integration, particularly if GPs could see what stock pharmacies have available.

Improving communication and cross-system access to relevant IT systems should be a priority.

GPs should be supported to embrace the digital age. According to research carried out by a team from Oxford Internet Institute and funded by The Health Foundation, almost half of administrative tasks in doctor’s surgeries could be automated. This could be a huge shift which could free up countless hours needed for patient time without the loss of full-time jobs.

Another area that could be addressed is the current GP contract, which can leave our members having to focus on performance to meet key national targets. Stripping back these indicators can reduce the bureaucracy faced by primary care teams and enable them to prioritise their resources more effectively around the specific needs of their local communities.

By Professor Aruna Garcea, chair of the NHS Confederation’s Primary Care Network