Workforce Matters: Practising in the Digital Age
Essex Primary Care Conference 2019
Conference details the digital health kick coming to primary care
The Essex Primary Care Conference showcased the latest technologies which can improve patient care, as well as workload, and what is now expected of practices locally and nationally
Over 100 healthcare professionals attended the second annual Essex Primary Care Conference, Workforce Matters: Practising in the Digital Age, to discuss the long-term NHS digital plan put in place in January.
The digitally ambitious plan has decreed that by April 2020 practices nationwide must ensure that at least a quarter of appointments are available for online booking and all patients are given the right to an online consultation, with video consultations in place by April 2021.
This is in addition to the rollout of the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), which is predicted to save the NHS £300m over the next three years and will make digital prescription processing the default for all practices from 19th November 2019.
The conference – held on Thursday 7th November 2019 at Hylands House, Chelmsford – invited healthcare professionals to discuss the latest digital developments in primary care and how they can embrace new technologies to deliver care more effectively.
On the day, attendees heard from influential speakers on digital innovation and had the chance to quiz experts on what technology and digitisation could mean for general practice, as well as network with other Essex-based practices on core digital issues.
Jennifer Speller, Primary Care Digital Lead for Mid & South Essex STP, said: “The conference showcased the latest thinking in how emerging technologies are transforming the digital landscape for our practices and how they impact on delivery of care. Patients and staff expectations are a lot higher than ever before and practices must embrace new technologies to provide care more effectively.
Attendees went away with more knowledge of what technology is available and the upcoming digital innovations that can help support positive change in their practices.”
Please see below for presentations and additional resources from the event.
Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) free resources for practices:
- Creating the Right Environment for Change Supporting the Development of Primary Care Networks – Support available via the Eastern AHSN
- Preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver the digital future – The Topol Review
- RCGP Genomics Toolkit for all primary care practitioners
- Contact Dr Rhydian Harris from Forward Health at rhydian@forwardhealth.co
Additional Resources:
Digital Health and AI
Dr Indra Joshi, Head of Digital Health & AI, NHSX
