UK E Health Week 2017: the digital future of the NHS

The keynote speaker on day one at UK E Health Week 2017 was Juliet Bauer the Director of Digital Experience for NHS England. She spoke at length about the ways in which the NHS is trying to put patients at the heart of the digital experience.

The goal of NHS England is to use technology to create a continuous relationship with patients that can help people manage their own long term health. It is with these goals in the mind that a new five year technology plan has been created to modernise the digital presence of the NHS and radically change the patient experience. For example children’s red books are being digitised in the hope of starting this lifelong digital journey from a person’s first contact with the healthcare system.   

NHS Choices, the largest online platform run by the NHS, is being upgraded to improve patients digital front end experience. Content will be personalised based on medical history and records thus creating a single and personalised relationship with a “joined up” health service. Other Apps and online libraries are also being created and it is hoped that these health management tools and services will enable patients to take control of their own health and make healthier lifestyle choices.

Empowering patients through technology while allowing clinicians to do their jobs better is the aim of all the new initiatives and many of the new products have been co-designed and created with patients and clinicians. While face to face relationships will be maintained and nurtured it is hoped that technology has the ability to reduce pressure on frontline staff and give them more time to provide high levels of care to those in need.