Clinical Digital team's role in digitising paper-based documentation commended by Chief Executive
Colleagues who have helped teams across the Trust to identify and streamline more than 1,000 paper-based patient records and forms and begin to transfer them to a digital format have been recognised for helping to improve patient safety.
The Clinical Digital team organised and lead the Paper2Pixels events across the Trust in December 2023 and January 2024, which allowed teams to hand in their paper forms to identify how processes could be made safer and more efficient. Colleagues were also told about how these forms could be transformed to a digital format ahead of the roll out of our new Electronic Patient Record (EPR), Nervecentre.
Over the course of seven events held at our hospitals, as well as at Ilkeston Community Hospital and Ripley Hospital, 550 colleagues attended from more than 200 departments, with in excess of 1,000 forms identified and logged by the team. These forms are now being worked through to help create more efficient, safer patient records which will help to deliver safer care to our communities.
The team were surprised by Chief Executive, Stephen Posey, during a recent team meeting, when he was joined by Executive Chief Digital Information Officer, Will Monaghan, to present his latest Chief Executive's Monthly Making a Difference Award in recognition of the team's hard work and the difference it has made to teams across the Trust.
Stacey Hatton, Chief Nursing Information Officer, congratulated the team on their achievements and the lasting impact the Paper2Pixels events have had on colleagues:
"I am so proud of our team for all of the incredible digital initiatives we are working on to improve patient safety and make our colleague's working lives easier. Receiving the CEO’s Making a Difference Award recognises the dedication of the team and the transformation we are committed to as an organisation. The Paper2Pixels events were a huge success and have helped to unite teams across our hospitals by streamlining and standardising our records.
"The Paper2Pixels events stand out as a shining example of our team's capability to drive innovation and efficiency. These initiatives have made lasting impressions and people are still talking about them even months later, which shows how impactful, inspiring, and successful they were. We all left them feeling elated and positive about the future and digital developments, so I am delighted others still feel the same way.
"I want to say a huge thank you to the team for their efforts, but particularly to Heidi Salisbury, who was a real driving force behind making them the success they were."
In addition to the Paper2Pixels project, the team is a core component of preparing the Trust for the transition to Nervecentre, which will align patient records with colleagues at Chesterfield Royal Hospital and other neighbouring trusts. The team has also played a central role in the development and preparation to roll out BadgerNet, the new maternity Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system for our maternity teams, and also supports colleagues with handling of clinical incidents and much more as part of their role.
When presenting the team with the award, Stephen Posey, Chief Executive, added to Stacey's praise, highlighting the impact the events have had on effective documentation and patient safety in our hospitals.
He said: "I am delighted to be able to recognise the important work this team has done, and continues to do, to help our clinical teams to be more efficient and spend more time doing what really matters - delivering quality care to our patients. We know that paper documentation presents issues to our teams, and moving forward with digital solutions will help everyone across the Trust to create clearer, more accurate health records, supporting the delivery of the best standards of care that our patients deserve and rightly expect.
"This is no small task, and the sheer number of forms the team has worked through and their ongoing work to streamline processes is paving the way for a smooth transition to our new EPR; all of which will make a huge difference to the working lives of our colleagues and to the care we are able to offer to our patients. On behalf of myself, the Board, and everyone across the organisation, thank you for everything you are doing."
UHDB has recently received approval from NHS England to proceed with signing the contract with Nervecentre to become our new EPR provider, with work now gathering pace ahead of the first elements of the new system expected to launch later this year.
Will Monaghan, Executive Chief Digital Information Officer, said the Clinical Digital team's work has played a crucial role in getting to this stage, and will be vital as the EPR project continues in the coming months.
He added: "Opportunities to completely change the way we work do not come along very often, but thanks to the hard work of the Clinical Digital team, colleagues across the Trust have been presented with just that chance. The team's drive, engagement, and enthusiasm has helped to make their events and work so far to be so successful.
"The move to our new EPR, Nervecentre, will make such a difference on colleagues both here and at Chesterfield Royal Hospital, and the team's work, particularly on our Paper 2 Pixels events, has played a central role to helping make our journey towards our new EPR as promising as it has been so far, and I am sure their expertise will continue to be invaluable as the process continues. I'm delighted to see their efforts recognised in this way and to be here to see everyone presented with this much deserved award."