Technology-enabled Workforce
Optimising digital interactions to improve patient outcomes and workforce benefits.

Overview
Implementing digital tools in the optimisation of workforce design, pathway transformation and patient experience
Focusing on health and social care pathway innovation
Includes key workstreams to support patients and workforce through COVID-19
Detailed Programme Information
The South West AHSN is working with health and care partners in the South West region to improve the effectiveness of workforce teams in primary and secondary care settings.
With COVID-19, rapid implementation of digital solutions took place to enable care to continue safely, and there is still potential for optimisation of these, improving access to digital care for patients, enhancing the patient experience, and creating more effective interactions between patients and clinicians.
Working closely with partners, we aim to learn from experience on the ground in order to rapidly spread best digital practice and learning across the region to improve patient outcomes.
- 75% of practices in the South West now utilise online consultation (compared to 50% in March 2020)
- 100% of practices in the South West utilised video consultation between May and June 2020 to continue providing services during the COVID-19 pandemic
Remote monitoring
- Covid Oximetry @Home: Supporting the implementation of oximeters to help clinicians to monitor patient blood oxygen levels.
- Virtual Wards: Supporting the implementation of virtual wards to support monitoring and healthcare provision in the patients’ home, replacing hospital stays.
eRD
Supporting our local systems to increase use of electronic Repeat Dispensing (eRD), making it easier for GP surgeries to issue, and for patients to request, repeat prescriptions, saving GPs significant amounts of time.
Remote consultation
Research into the barriers and opportunities in remote consultations in secondary care, focusing on ophthalmology and digital inclusion, identifying and sharing insight to aid the spread of video consultations.
Domiciliary Care
Supporting domiciliary care workforce teams by running an innovation challenge to find solutions that are ready for adoption (or adaptation) and spread. This project is delivered in partnership with West of England AHSN and Health Education England South West.
For more information please contact Maja Jorgensen.