July 2023 Newsletter

LATEST NEWS

Welsh Patient Administration System links-up North Wales

A huge programme of work has successfully linked up separate versions of the Welsh Patient Administration System (WelshPAS) in North Wales, bringing together all areas of the Betsi Cadwaladr University (BCU) Health Board into one single version of the WelshPAS.

The WelshPAS is the largest IT system in NHS Wales and manages more than 2.6 billion transactions a year. Its many functions include recording and sharing patient information such as appointments and treatments.

Before the system was merged, if a patient was seen in BCU East, but needed treatment in Central or West, their information would have to be transferred across, whereas now the patient information and interactions are easily accessible across the whole health board – saving on time, increasing patient safety and improving the patient experience.

First Graduates celebrate Change Ambassador Programme

The DHCW-led Change Ambassador Programme completed its first graduation event with more than 40 students successfully graduating and sharing their stories of how the programme has helped them to lead change.

The course teaches participants the principles of change in an organisation, and how they can influence it. They learn change management theories and its practical application through meaningful discussions within interactive workshops.

Opening the event - which was held on the 75th anniversary of the NHS - DHCW CEO Helen Thomas said: “The challenges for the future of the NHS will be multivarious as the NHS has to change and adapt, and digital is going to affect every aspect of it, so it’s never been more important to understand what it takes to adopt those changes.”

R ead more on the DHCW website

SPECIAL FEATURE

NHS Wales management graduates included in Change Ambassador success

Three participants of the first cohort of the Change Ambassador Programme (CAP) are also members of the NHS Wales general management graduate scheme. Rhian Davies, James Fletcher and Shannon Wills completed CAP alongside their NHS Wales graduate scheme placements and masters degrees.

James said that change management has been integral to his rotation of placements within the graduate scheme, and CAP had been a great support: “Every few months, I have had to adapt to a new department, a new team and new ways of working. The Change Ambassador Programme has equipped me with the skills and language necessary to effectively manage these changes and to understand resistance to change in others.”

Rhian, now a Service Improvement Manager in Aneurin Bevan Health Board said: “The CAP team were very engaging and supportive, and the opportunity to network with peers from across NHS Wales was extremely valuable. My confidence in presenting and expressing my opinions grew significantly over the course of the Programme, due to the inclusive and safe space provided by the team and fellow students.”

Shannon said the CAP had been a valuable experience and helped her in her career progression. She has recently taken up a role as Project Support Manager on the Single Record team in Digital Health and Care Wales.

James added he was looking forward to applying his knowledge on change to his NHS career: “Change is constant and is part of every role within NHS Wales, the better we embrace and respond to it, the better we can adapt and move with it.”

NHS 75

July was a busy month, with many events and celebrations for the NHS’ 75^th birthday. CEO Helen Thomas and colleagues from across the organisation kicked-off the celebrations by attending special multi-faith service at Church of the Resurrection, Ely in Cardiff to recognise the impressive milestone. Helen also gave her reflections on the dramatic changes we’ve seen in healthcare since the health service’s inception. You can read the full article here.

The Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio (DMTP) joined health leaders at the Bevan Commission – Tipping Point conference. The two-day event held on July 5^th and 6^th included discussions on how digital technology can address some of the challenges facing healthcare and help transform patient care in Wales.

Colleagues from the National Data Resource (NDR), Digital Services for Patients and Public (DSPP) and DMTP attended the Welsh NHS Confed Senedd event on July 5^th which highlighted how digital has transformed care over the last 75 years and considered what the next 75 years could look like.

Reflecting on the anniversary, Simon Jones, Chair of DHCW said: “The architect of the NHS, Aneurin Bevan, was always certain of one thing, that the NHS would never stand still, and that accepting change would always be in the best interests of the public it served. I have no doubt that he would have been both amazed at and the leading advocate of digital applications being at the heart of transforming healthcare. DHCW was proud to showcase some of the transformational work it is doing at the recent 75^th anniversary celebration of the NHS in Wales. Much has been achieved and there is so much more that can be achieved that will result in safer more effective and more efficient services for the citizens of Wales.”

Across our social media channels, we celebrated by commemorating the digital progress and major achievements made in NHS Wales over the last 75 years. We also talked to staff at DHCW about what the NHS means to them, and their full stories can be read on our website.

FURTHER UPDATES

The Welsh Nursing Care Record team have been visiting clinical teams in paediatric units across Wales to demonstrate the system and its benefits. The WNCR, replacing paper notes with a digital system, will expand to inpatient paediatric wards following Welsh Government funding.

The Welsh Intensive Care Information System project team have been at the Grange Hospital demonstrating the system and its benefits. When introduced, paper notes will be replaced with a digital system, freeing up time for clinicians to spend more time caring for patients.

The Choose Pharmacy Service celebrated its 10th anniversary this summer. People involved in setting up the ground-breaking service in 2013, including the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Andrew Evans, got together in DHCW to mark the special occasion. Read more on the DHCW website.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2023

The National Eisteddfod celebrates Welsh arts, language and culture. The festival attracts thousands of Welsh speakers, Welsh learners, and those who do not speak the language for week of literature, arts, music and performances.

The location for this year’s Eisteddfod is Boduan, Gwynedd, LL53 6DT.

For more information visit the website: National Eisteddfod of Wales

Healthcare Excellence Through Technology (HETT)

In the face of new challenges, developing requirements, and restructuring of local systems within the NHS, it’s vital to bring together the Digital Health community again. The HETT Show at the ExCeL London offers 2-days of free CPD accredited educational sessions, interactive activities, and networking opportunities with 150+ innovative suppliers and 200+ expert speakers.

For more information visit the HETT website: Digital Health Conference Brought to You By HETT Show

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