Efficiency and procurement expert Lord Carter turned his attention to ambulance services, and argued that ageing fleets, slow take-up of technology, sickness and outmoded working practices are making it hard for them to respond to rising demand. Health and social care secretary Matt Hancock promised a national patient safety strategy to run alongside the long-term plan. And a Scottish council considered merging with its local health board, to meet the demands of an ageing population. In London, the UK Health Show 18 took place at Excel, with much discussion of national apps and data interoperability standards. The NHS App and NHS Login have moved into private beta testing. And Connecting Care in Bristol has become one of the first organisations to use a Care Connect FHIR API, to link its Orion Health integrated care record with a specialist drug and alcohol system so staff can see if patients have a prescription for opioid substitution therapy drugs.
Healthcare Roundup 28 September 2018
