Information technology has great potential to improve the quality and safety of healthcare. However, this potential has not yet been fully realised and considerable work remains to be done in this field. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization held a meeting on technology and patient safety. I chaired one of the four working groups, which were comprised of members from across the world. My working group has now completed its report, which is currently undergoing peer review.
NHS budgets are under considerable pressure. It is therefore unsurprising that many NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) In England will aim to prioritise price in contract awards, But this approach is a significant threat to community-centred healthcare. While competitive tendering is a legally required, an excessive focus on costs in awarding NHS contracts risks overshadowing key factors such as established community trust, local expertise, and the long-term impact on continuity of care. This shift towards cheaper, often external, commercial providers threatens to cut the links between communities and their local health services. The argument that competitive tendering is solely about legal compliance, and not cost, is undermined by the very nature of such tendering, which by design encourages the lowest bid. This approach risks eroding the social fabric of local healthcare provision, where established relationships and understanding of specific community needs are essential. Establishe...
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