Why 2 organisations with different expertise have come together to create better outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals
2 November 2022
The Centre for Digital Public Services (CDPS) is working in partnership with Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW). Together, we aim to create better outcomes for patients and healthcare professionals.
Shared mission
Our mission is to:
- understand the end-to-end user journey for electronic prescription services
- use digital solutions to make prescribing, dispensing and administering medicines in Wales easier, safer, and more efficient and effective
Work has already started with DHCW’s Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio (DMTP).
Inclusive solution
Helen Thomas, CEO at DHCW, said:
“I see great and real benefits to this partnership. It will allow us to understand the impact of removing paper from the system and to select and deliver the technology that meets the needs of NHS Wales.
“We know that not everyone wants to use online services. It’s therefore vitally important that a significant new development that will impact everyone who uses NHS Wales services is digitally inclusive.
“Bringing our expertise together provides us with the forward thinking and insight needed to deliver the very best digital medicines solutions for the people of Wales.”
Our approach is in keeping with Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Health and Social Services' remarks about the future of electronic prescribing in Wales:
“We want to make sure services deliver the best outcomes for citizens, and are designed around how citizens and service providers want to use and manage those services...
“...we know that not everyone can, or wants to, access online services; therefore, ensuring that the solution is digitally inclusive is a key priority of the programme.”
Removing paperwork
Electronic prescription solutions exist and are used in various places outside Wales. Scandinavian countries are leading Europe in the deployment of electronic prescriptions. Finding the technology that meets the needs of our users, in a way that’s specific to Wales is important. What works in one context may not work in another.
In this scope of work, our research will look into understanding the challenges and risks of removing paperwork in the following 2 services:
- Electronic Prescription Services in a primary care setting – this service is used by GPs and non-medical staff who prescribe, dispense, administer and manage medicines in GP surgeries and pharmacies
- Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration in a secondary care setting – this service is used by healthcare professionals who prescribe, dispense, administer and manage medicines in hospitals
From now until the end of the year, we'll observe patients and healthcare professionals in real-life contexts as they use prescription services.
Understanding the user journey
Our aim is to understand each of their user journeys – from their first step all the way through to completing the task they set out to do.
This isn’t just about technology systems. User journeys are made up of online, paper, telephone and in-person steps.
When we understand the end-to-end user journey and collect user feedback and experience, we can identify opportunities for improvements to new digital solutions and services.
Working as Agile partners
How will we achieve this? We will work as partners. We will bring together DMTP subject matter experts and CDPS specialists (design and user research) under one roof to work in an Agile, open and transparent way.
How will this work in practice? Find out in our next blog post, which will look at our overall approach – from Agile principles and working in the open to the importance of user research.