Yahoo Finance Doctors should 'throw away their pagers', says Health Secretary in new technology drive for the NHS
Matt Hancock will call on doctors and nurses to “throw away their pagers” and replace them with smartphone apps as the new Health Secretary sets out his vision for the NHS.
Mr Hancock, who gained a reputation for promoting new technology as Culture Secretary and was the first MP to launch his own app, will focus on “tech transformation” in the health service.
He will make his first speech as Health Secretary today at West Suffolk hospital, and will set out his three early priorities – “technology, the health and care workforce and prevention”.
One of his first targets will be to rid the NHS of pagers, the Daily Telegraph can reveal.
More than one in 10 of the world’s pagers is being used in the NHS. The dated technology costs the NHS an estimated £6.6 million a year, according to a report by the digital solutions company CommonTime.
One pilot study has shown that replacing pagers to smartphone apps will save nurses more than 20 minutes and doctors almost 50 minutes every shift.
Mr Hancock replaced Jeremy Hunt last month in a reshuffle following the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson.
Mr Hancock is expected to say today: “Technology used right is a catalyst for greater connectivity and empowerment – on both sides. Not only can the right use of technology save time and money, it can improve patient safety.
“I strongly believe that technology has the power to further enhance safety and improve outcomes for patients.
The question is how do we harness the best modern technology has to offer? How do we achieve this holy trinity of improving outcomes, helping clinicians and saving money?
The minister will praise hospitals who have already decided to stop using pagers.
“Right here in the West Suffolk, junior doctors and nurses will soon throw away their pagers and install a new smartphone app, removing the need to phone colleagues for details after getting paged,” Mr Hancock is expected to say.
“Smartphone apps are only the start. Cutting edge technology is also improving safety and saving clinicians’ time.”
He will also announce that £412 million will be made available to improve patient care and allow more patients to access health services at home.
A further £75 million will be available to hospital trusts to install state-of-the-art electronic systems, to save money and “reduce potentially deadly medication errors by up to 50 per cent” when compared to the old paper systems.
It is understood that one of Mr Hancock's aims as Health Secretary will also be to reset the relationship between the Government and NHS staff.
