NHS staff voice fears over IT

Researchers from King’s College London, Imperial College London, University of Bristol and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine interviewed a range of senior NHS staff. The study found that local managers cannot focus on implementing the system because of competing financial priorities and uncertainties about the programme. There is also concern about poor communication from Connecting for Health, the agency responsible for delivering the programme, while some respondents said they were frustrated that decisions are being made without consulting key NHS staff. Other issues identified were a lack of faith in the patient booking system.

Professor Naomi Fulop, of the School of Social Science and Public Policy at King’s College London, commented: “NHS staff support the goals of this programme and believe in the benefits of IT modernisation. But they have a number of serious concerns. It’s crucial that patient information is stored and accessed via a robust, secure IT system. While the delays continue, IT networks are becoming outdated and there is a real risk that patient care could be compromised.”