推动数字化转型：techUK对健康和社会护理的建议

November 2024 Contents Foreword from techUK’s Health & Social Care Council03 Summary of recommendations04 Introduction08 Support strategic change through industry engagementand cross-system collaboration09 Protect and invest in the digital transformation of health and social care11 Improve commercial and procurement opportunities14 Organise the data landscape18 Prepare for artificial intelligence23 Define the next phase of the NHS App25 Accelerate digital transformation in social care26 Foster integration across health, social care and other public services28 Address the gap in digital skills and leadership30 Foreword from techUK’s Health & Social Care Council The new Government has recognised the need for decisive change. From moving away fromtreatment towards a prevention-focused approach, increasing productivity and supportingeconomic growth, the ambitions stated to date are clear and long-awaited. Lord Darzi’sIndependent Investigation of the NHS in Englandadds further gravity to the poor status ofhealth and care services, and further reinforces that action based on the status quo will beinadequate to realise the transformation and reform required across the health and socialcare sector. It is vital that we do not lose the current window of opportunity through which to act on theseambitions and make significant structural changes in health and social care. This has neverbeen more important in relation to investment in digital transformation, the managementof capital and operating expenditure for IT infrastructure, standardising and improvingprocurement practices, nourishing a thriving SME sector, and meaningfully addressing theinteroperability challenges which currently hinder the modernisation and productivity ofhealth and care services. techUK members from across the health and care technology industry are ready tosupport the strategic planning efforts and implementation of the next phases of digitaltransformation in health and social care services. If the recommendations presented arenot actioned with urgency, not only will the opportunity to deliver the systemic change andunderpin the policies required to make long-awaited improvements across the NHS andsocial care be missed, but so too will the UK’s vulnerability to losing valuable innovationsoverseas, and ability to sustain a thriving digital health and care ecosystem, be worsened. Summary ofrecommendations Support strategic change through industryengagement and cross-system collaboration •The health and care technology industry must be regularly engaged as keystakeholders in the development of all policies, strategies and legislationrelating to the use of digital, data and technology in health and social care. Protect and invest in the digital transformationof health and social care •The UK Government and NHS England should:-Ring-fence funding for digital transformation and cyber resilience in healthand social care at previously committed levels as a minimum.-In collaboration with the Healthcare Financial Management Association(HFMA), develop guidance for NHS Chief Financial Officers regarding themanagement of capital and operating expenditure for IT infrastructure,with clarity on accounting rules to support the implementation of cloud-based services.-Increase central investment to support health and care systems tocontinue and expand the scope of their digital transformation.-Align existing and new digital investments to integrate with and buildon the national platforms and services being invested in, for a commonarchitectural approach to be cost-effective and compound value. Improve commercial and procurementpractices •The UK Government should collaborate with Devolved counterparts tocreate a single UK-wide framework tracking environment to mitigateagainst each supplier doing so and remove disadvantages for SMEs. •NHS England should:-increase transparency around commercial activity across the NHS atlocal, national and regional levels. This should include establishingclear commercial roles and responsibilities between the NHS CentralCommercial Function in NHS England, NHS Trusts, Integrated CareSystems and Boards, and primary care organisations.-streamline and clarify procurement practices and criteria and howthey will work in practice, including new NHS framework policies,infrastructure, and social value requirements.-support a transition to dynamic frameworks which allow a supplierthat is compliant to be added at any time and allow timely removal of asupplier that is no longer compliant.-prioritise the delivery of the NHS SME Action Plan and engage withindustry to support its implementation.-clarify the roles and responsibilities between organisations providinginnovation-related support services, including the Health InnovationNetworks and NHS Innovation Service. •The Government, NHS and regulatory bodies should clarify andstandardise the evidence base required for digital health and caresolutions, providing consisten