An interview with Jonathan Davis, Associate Director of Digital Services (Chief Information Officer) at ShropCom, and John Cunningham, Acting Deputy Chief Information Officer at SaTH, on our digital transformation plans for the Group
Jonathan and John: Working in partnership across ShropCom and SaTH, we’d like to share an update on the growing benefits of our emerging digital Group model, particularly in relation to systems and technology Listening to feedback from colleagues during our Group engagement events, we know one of the biggest priorities is digital We are in an exciting era for the NHS with a digital revolution underway - and the NHS is quickly having to catch up. We want to do more than catch up, we want to lead the way digitally We have amazing digital teams and champions across our digital, nursing and other professions who can help
John: Both organisations have shown real ingenuity in recent years by developing clever systems and ways of working to help deliver better care within our resources There are examples of excellence in both trusts There are systems in ShropCom and SaTH which will benefit clinical teams across the Group, including giving real-time access to shared records We also know there are non-clinical systems in both ShropCom and SaTH where collaboration between the two digital teams and alignment of systems and technologies will bring benefits across both organisations One example of this is telephony systems Whether it be clinical or non-clinical systems, the challenge is always understanding the complex interactions with other systems – but we ’ re working through that Over recent months, our digital teams have strengthened collaboration, focusing on opportunities that improve patient care, enhance staff experience, and deliver better value for our organisations
John Cunningham
Jonathan Davis
Shared telephony platforms
Work is underway to align and modernise telephony across both organisations, enabling a more resilient, unified, and flexible communication platform for colleagues, including those working across organisational boundaries
Key areas of progress:
Shared Wi Fi
We are progressing shared Wi Fi capabilities, allowing colleagues from either organisation to seamlessly access secure network services across sites This will help improve mobility and accessibility, reduce delays and support joined up working
Jonathan: Digital is always in great demand given the fast pace of change we work in It’s early days in our Group conversations, but already it’s clear we have some brilliant people and some great ideas in our teams We both have ambitious digital transformation plans and often have to make some difficult choices about what to prioritise By combining the fantastic skills, experience and creativity in our teams we can go further and faster in our digital improvement
Real time access to records
We are identifying technology that can support real time access to digital patient information for both community and acute staff, as part of the neighbourhood health programme This will ensure clinicians can access the right information at the right time, wherever they are
We know digital is a key enabler to realising the benefits of Group As more staff start to collaborate, it’s essential that we give you the tools to do this successfully. Through our local plans and the national 10-year plan, Digital plays a fundamental role in connecting our teams and communities We also know we cannot work as an island, and we need to connect more with local authorities, GPs and other sectors Delivering more personalised and earlier preventative care is something we all want for our patients, but also our families and friends who use our services We cannot expect a digital revolution if we don’t offer the tools, training and support. Together we can share our resources and connect with our education teams
As our digital Group model continues to develop, we will develop and shape our joint digital priorities
Key areas we plan to focus on include:
Continue to innovate and collaborate together to identify further digital priorities, such as the ones listed below, to better support the Group model and future digital strategy
Designing future shared digital architecture to build on the work underway across telephony and Wi‑Fi, and exploring opportunities to collaborate further and unify technical infrastructure and approaches where we can to reduce duplication
Enhancing integration across community and acute systems - we aim to accelerate integration between community and acute, enabling smoother data flow, reduced clinical burden, and improved continuity of care for patients moving between services
Strengthening cyber security preparedness - we will continue developing shared approaches to cyber resilience, ensuring both organisations are protected against emerging threats and aligned with national standards and compliance
Jonathan and John: Finally, we would like to say a big thank you to our amazing teams We know that working in digital is demanding and there are many long hours involved – especially as we go-live with new systems and critical core technology implementations and upgrades. Thank you for the energy and creativity you have brought to our Group conversations so far, sharing knowledge, experiences and joint problem solving This creates a solid foundation for future developments and ensures our Group benefits from shared expertise and innovation
What Group means for our patients
More care and resources in the community, supported by two thriving acute hospitals
Increased focus on prevention and tackling inequalities through neighbourhood working (sickness to prevention)
What is a Group Model and what would it mean for us?
Watch our short animation
What Group means for our staff
Modern ways of working with the right tools and environment
More health and wellbeing support
A great place to work – everyone has a voice and is valued
More training opportunities
Continue to engage patients, communities, partners and staff
Did you know?
Schwartz Rounds are a reflective practice forum which fosters the health and wellbeing of colleagues, no matter what role they are in 85% of staff who participate in Schwartz Rounds report feeling better able to care for their patients
Both our Schwartz Round teams have come together to strengthen the offer for colleagues across the Group, including building a stronger peer support network
Find out about the upcoming Schwartz Rounds on the intranet.
Have your say: Two trusts, one voice
Another priority colleagues told us about was improving communications as a Group
Whether you ’ re someone who likes regular updates, prefers face‑to‑face conversations, wants simpler channels, or has ideas about how we could communicate more consistently across both trusts, we’d love to hear from you
Attend an upcoming focus group to help us build what great communication should look and feel like across our Group We want to understand what already works well, what could be improved, and what tools, channels or approaches would make it easier for you to stay connected with the changes ahead
Focus group sessions:
Wednesday 11 March, 11am on MS Teams Monday 16 March, 3pm on MS Teams
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