Working Smarter with NHSmail SCIMP Conference November 2009

NHSmail – Enabling Clinical & Business Communications Provides information governance assurance Provides security assurance Reduces the risk to clinical & business communications Opens up collaborative working across the NHS and beyond Provides access from any connected location and media (e.g. home PC, mobile etc.) Provides value-added service to support the service locally and nationally NHSmail Service

Shared Resources NHSmail provides staff with the ability to use shared functional services. These include: Shared calendars Shared generic mailboxes Shared contact lists Shared Distribution Lists NHSmail Service – Shared Resources

Calendars Shared calendars can be used for: Appointment bookings Room bookings Leave management Training management Equipment management NHSmail Service – Shared Resources

Generic Mailboxes (GMs) GMs can be used to support operational clinical/business functions: Acute/Primary care referrals Managed clinical consultation points Functional GMs e.g. Helpdesk Multidisciplinary Team GMs National collaboration points e.g. eHealth clinical leads Interagency collaboration points e.g. Social services and Child Health NHSmail Service – Shared Resources

Contacts Share access to main contact lists within a GM Contacts can be split into functional areas by folders e.g. Social Services contacts NHSmail Service – Shared Resources

Mobile Working Can access the service from: Work Home Mobile phone Other work places Internet NHSmail Service – Mobile Working

Mobile Working 2 Particularly good for mobile staff: Community Nurses Allied Health Professionals Consultants Trainee Doctors NHSmail Service – Mobile Working

Working Smarter with NHSmail Value-Added Services Value Added Services

SMS & Fax Enables sending of patient reminders Enables the sending of system alerts Fax – Sending drug alerts to GP Practice Value Added Services

Collaborative Working Enables working outside as well as within the Board boundary: Enables CHP working Working with local government Enables working within Managed Clinical Networks Enables working with non-NHS partners Value Added Services

Distribution Lists (DLs) DLs determined by directory data: Organisation – All NHS Forth Valley Site – All staff Raigmore Hospital GP Practice – All Gilmour Street GP Practice Role – All GP Practice Managers Specialty – All Paediatrics Department – All staff in Community Nursing Value Added Services

Distribution List Uses Faxing drug alerts to GP and Pharmacy practices Avoid manual time consuming processes 2 sent only Intensive Care – available shifts, notifications sent to mobiles H1N1 National Communications Targeted communications – GPs, all Practice Managers Value Added Services

Strategic Benefits Access to right info,….right place,…right time (eHealth Strategy) Increased clinical assurance Improved clinical/business efficiency Communications with health partners Increased speed of communications Facilitates collaborative working Facilitates coverage to sectors previously under- represented NHSmail Service

Impact of Direct Electronic Referrals to a Hospital Eye Service Value Added Services NHS Fife – Case Study

Case Study – Aims and Methods Aim: A study to assess the feasibility, safety and clinical effectiveness of electronic referral of patients directly from optometrists in primary care to the hospital eye service (HES) in contrast to the paper-based referral through the GP. Method: 3 Practices sent electronic referrals Same 3 practices compared for paper referrals Supported by ECCI and funded Clinical processes redesigned Added Value Example - Impact of Direct Electronic Referrals to a Hospital Eye Service

Case Study – Referral Pathway Old Pathway (2 – 32 weeks) Optometrist appointment Letter to GP GPs letter to hospital Hospital records Consultant referral file Await further info (e.g. case notes) HES appointment New Pathway (1 – 6 weeks) Optometrist appointment Electronic referral to HES Consultant review HES appointment Added Value Example - Impact of Direct Electronic Referrals to a Hospital Eye Service

Case Study – Benefits Speedier clinical decision making for patients Avoidance of unnecessary hospital appointments Higher level of interpersonal communication and feedback to optometrists Patient satisfaction with the process Saving: 37% of patients not requiring appointment, sending images reduces a further 22% O/P costs between £108 - £307 per appointment, savings could run into £100Ks per Board Majority of referrals now sent electronically within Fife Added Value Example - Impact of Direct Electronic Referrals to a Hospital Eye Service

Contacts Ziggy Iwaniec, Programme Manager: Maggie Young, Senior Project Manager: Emma Crawford, Programme Programme Mailbox: Programme Website: Using Information Improving Healthcare: NHSmail Service