October Blog
Irina Higginson, NNUH EPR Project Manager
Reflecting on the EPR Digital Change discovery visit for the three acute hospitals
This month, the Digital Change Team at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital (NNUH) opened their doors and welcomed teams from James Paget University Hospital (JPUH) and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH). The meeting was to gather the EPR Change Team and inspire us of the possibilities that lie ahead in our collaborative efforts for a better, joined-up healthcare system.
Eight colleagues from different corners of the digital health landscape joined the visit which included Clinical Change Leads, Change Agents, Project Managers, and a Senior Nurse Information Officer (SNIO). I was honoured to host the group together with the NNUH Change agents and Clinical Change leads. Our primary goal was to showcase the scale of NNUH's operations and to introduce EPR colleagues from the other Trusts to our Digital Health team.
The day began with a visit to the West Annex, where Clinical Change Leads, Project Managers, and Change Agents introduced themselves and their ongoing projects. It was particularly exciting to meet people face to face after many months of virtual co-working and collaborating on common programmes such as the EPR and the Shared Care Record.
A question we are frequently asked as a Digital Change Team is ‘what is the difference between the EPR and the Shared Care Record?’ so it was really interesting to discuss the two programmes and how they will link together in the future and improve care for patients.
Essentially, the EPR is a digital information system which staff will be able to view and record care information on. EPR notes will be editable and accessible for staff – and eventually patients via a portal, in the three acute hospitals. Whereas the Shared Care Record brings together the most important records from different organisations involved in a person’s health and social care.
Eventually, once the EPR is rolled out, a read-only view of acute hospital notes may be available on the Shared Care Record to help give staff involved in your care in other parts of the health and care system, a holistic view of your health and wellbeing.
After some time to discuss various digital programmes, the group were given a tour of the hospital with an opportunity to see some of the EPR campaign materials which feature the Change Network project which have brought this group of colleagues together.
After the tour we sat down to explore the structure and profile of the Change Agents team we intend to use throughout the EPR programme to help services and staff navigate the implementation of the new digital system and learn how to use it.
In the afternoon, we joined the weekly operational meeting with NNUH CNIO and Clinical Change Leads which offered insight to how operational challenges are identified, and solutions actioned to ensure everything runs smoothly for patients and staff.
One of my most important takeaways from the day was how helpful it is to share insight, knowledge, and information. An example was when all three Trust teams realised we are working on the same digital health projects and could learn a lot from each other such as the Single Sign On, eObs, Alertive and Virtual Ward. As the day drew to a close, it was suggested and agreed to schedule regular catchups for Change Agents across the three acute Trusts to help foster relationships and continue the learning.
Reflecting on the day, colleagues from QEH and JPUH fed back that they found the visit an ‘excellent icebreaker’ and commented that they genuinely appreciated the thought and effort put into facilitating the visit and engaging in rich discussions.
I defiantly saw it as time well spent and we’re working together to plan similar visits to JPUH and QEH in the coming months.
For me, the NNUH visit was more than a hospital tour - it was an embodiment of the opportunities that arise when different healthcare organisations work together, sharing experiences, knowledge, and aspirations. As the Digital Change Programme continues to evolve, this collaborative spirit will undoubtedly pave the way for a brighter, more efficient, and patient-centred future in healthcare.
The move from paper records to Electronic Patient Records is a pivotal step in elevating our healthcare services across Norfolk and Waveney. Collaboration, as witnessed at the NNUH visit, is the key to unlocking these transformative benefits, ensuring a brighter future for both staff and patients in the world of healthcare. Together, we can achieve so much more than we ever could in isolation.