Recently released health service transparency documents shine a light on a newly launched scheme that will incorporate existing reform initiatives, as part of a ‘much larger’ agenda of improving services
The health service is launching a major programme aimed at “transforming patient, public and staff-facing services”.
The scheme, also known as TPPSFS, got underway on 1 April, recently released transparency documents indicate. The new scheme will incorporate the plans and objectives of the existing Digital Transformation of Screening initiative – which was due to run until 2033 and improve “improve participation in screening programmes” by creating a “a single national screening service” across all programmes.
A newly published formal assessment of the £250m screening reform project states that “ongoing activity will be included as part of a much larger” scheme: TPPSFS.
Further details of the new transformation programme were not provided, and the Department of Health and Social Care did not answer enquiries from PublicTechnology.
But a letter from NHS England chief executive Sir James Mackey – sent to mark the start of the new financial year on 1 April – advises local trust and care board leaders across the country that the health service’s priorities for the coming year will involve a “set of ‘big leaps’, such as a full reset of outpatient care and bringing scheduling and appointments into urgent care”.
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The annex of the letter sets out “eight key areas where, collectively, we can make a big difference this year and beyond”.
This begins with “outpatient transformation – shifting away from traditional outpatient models through a major expansion of advice and guidance and a reduction in unnecessary follow‑ups”.
As well as “a step‑change in reducing hospital bed‑days for highest‑risk cohorts”, other focus areas will include “scheduling and access reform for urgent care” and “technology‑enabled productivity improvements”.
This latter area will involve the NHS “expanding the deployment of ambient voice technology and a suite of tools to improve theatre utilisation, discharge flow, RTT (referral to treatment) validation, community waiting lists, advice and guidance, electronic prescribing in all trusts, and crisis response”.
Also included on the priority list is the NHS App, an area in which health-service leaders will be “accelerating efforts to expand the role of the app as the digital front door into the NHS, supporting more convenient and effective triage and navigation for patients”.
The final there areas of key focus will be: payment reform; quality; and capability building.
Mackey instructs the heads of all integrated care boards to provide a document summarising their own plans and priorities for the year ahead.
“In doing so, we expect all local partners to work together to ensure a strong degree of alignment and clear identification of gaps and barriers that can be worked through together, and how you intend to do so,” he writes.
