Hospital trust gearing up for major IT upgrade and transfer of more than 1m records

The trust is in the midst of a major modernisation and reorganisation, and while a significant focus has been on physical buildings and where specific services such as A&E will be provided, the computer systems in the background also need updating.

Nigel Lee, chief operating officer at SaTH, said that the IT overhaul would be "replacing some really, really fragile individual systems".

The trust has already upgraded its theatre system and system for maternity care.

The change from April 19 will see the introduction of a 'patient administration system' (PAS) described as the 'basic and overall driver of everything that happens' at the trust.

The trust is also replacing the system for its emergency departments – some of the most under-pressure across the entire NHS.

Further improvements and systems will follow after the PAS has been upgraded.

Mr Lee said that the new systems would enable the creation of a 'patient portal' which would have significant benefits for patients at the trust.

He said: "It is very much the core enabler for our strategy and where were are going from a digital maturity point of view."

Currently records at the trust are recorded in a mix of electronic and traditional paper reports.

Mr Lee said: "The new system will give much greater accessibility not just at SaTH, but across the system."

The overall IT programme is a three year plan, and comes alongside significant planned building work to overhaul both PRH and RSH.

Mr Lee said that the change would represent a challenge, given that members of staff at the trust have been using the current system for 20 years.

He added that the trust was preparing for the switch-over with dress-rehearsals and by limiting the number of planned appointments and procedures taking place over the weekend of April 19.

He said: "We have a system that is 20 years old and it is a big change for us.

"For every trust replacing their PAS, even if it is not 20 years old, it is a significant change."

He added: "It is making a big start in increasing the level of digital maturity at the trust."

Mr Lee said there was a "huge focus" on preparing for the change, but added that it would be a major step forward for the trust – acknowledging that new members of staff from other trusts had sometimes been working on more advanced technology with their previous employers.

He said: "It is a really positive thing and there is a great deal of excitement about it."

He added: "There are lots of staff that come into the trust that would have seen newer systems and are used to using newer systems and less paper."

Mr Lee said that the new systems would make a great difference to work at the trust.

He said: "The old PAS, when things are 20 years old there are frustrations and work-arounds people have to cope with because things people designed 24 years ago – modern health care has moved on significantly."

He added: "Even at this stage this will make things for efficient and modern, which is part and parcel of how we want to improve services across the trust."