How and Why NHS Trusts Should Take a Longer-Time period View Over Software program Procurement

By Dan Teare, Healthcare Sector Director, mpro5

Getting software program proper is not any straightforward process – particularly in healthcare. It have to be relevant to a near-endless checklist of customers, purposes, and contexts – and these are continuously evolving. These inevitabilities, paired with the inherent difficulties of managing such an enormous group, sadly, implies that software program is usually not as efficient as it may be – and prices the NHS way over it must.

The explanations for this are, after all, many, however the repair is remarkably easy; NHS Trusts should cease trying on the micro and the short-term, and as a substitute take into consideration methods to procure software program that’s each versatile and delivers long-term worth.

Simpler stated than executed, I do know, however it’s not unimaginable. Right here are some things to bear in mind when selecting software program.

Don’t get misplaced within the particulars

Once you strategy a software program vendor with a giant checklist of issues, there are a number of points that may come up with any product created. Firstly, it hampers the creativity of resolution suppliers. Procurement ought to be an issue and resolution led course of wherein you clarify your ache factors to service suppliers after which assess the power of their proposed resolution; don’t be afraid to let consultants give you what they assume is an appropriate product – for particular person issues, but additionally the broader context these issues sit inside.

Secondly, as a result of it focuses on fixing an extended checklist of points particular to at this time, it might’t simply clear up tomorrow’s issues; and you’ll ensure there shall be a number of you couldn’t have predicted. This subject is compounded if you issue within the new guidelines, laws, and technological improvements that the long run will certainly carry. Finally, the extra exactly your software program is suited to at this time’s actual issues, the much less versatile it might be to fixing tomorrow’s. In flip, which means a Belief must purchase a brand new, off-the-shelf software program product to take care of any new points or contexts – costing good cash which is being thrown after unhealthy, and never fixing the inherent subject within the first place: inflexibility. 

High-down options by no means work

Nevertheless, the opposite aspect of the coin is that you simply assume too massive, and too top-down. A software program product that’s constructed for use in each Belief within the UK is just unfeasible. Though on paper it’s splendid, as it could keep away from the issues that seem when every Belief has its personal discreet software program in place, it could be too expensive and time-consuming to implement nation-wide. Moreover, simply as when focussing on the microscopic issues of a single Belief, software program constructed for an extended checklist of Trusts can be too rigid – missing adaptability and the combination capabilities required for it to be adopted and used successfully on the native degree.

It’s value remembering simply how usually the principles and laws change. For instance, the brand new Nationwide Requirements of Healthcare Cleanliness have solely been just lately launched, however these are supposed to be reviewed and up to date each 5 years. Moreover, they have been late being launched. Subsequently, your software program have to be ready for unpredictable and common change.

Select a accomplice, not only a product

Turning a problem-solving train right into a scoping one turns any potential accomplice right into a yes-(wo)man. When choosing a software program supplier to work with, it is a crucial time to check their problem-solving capabilities, their creativity, and most significantly, how nicely you’re employed collectively (somewhat than how nicely they clear up your checklist of issues). When evaluating a number of distributors, you get to check them on the above elements – leaving you with the perfect accomplice to your Belief, not simply the perfect resolution to your quick downside.

Go configure

Usually, Trusts are backed right into a nook: they should comply with the accepted course of for procurement and so they have little selection however to purchase one other discrete piece of software program with the intention to clear up the issue in entrance of them. This implies a Belief can simply find yourself going out and shopping for a cleansing auditing piece of software program, in addition to safety auditing software program, time administration software program, an area utilization piece of software program, and so forth. They then find yourself with an entire tech stack that, by advantage, turns into so difficult that no one understands it. To not point out the fee and time implications concerned in managing a number of completely different techniques, and coaching the related individuals on them. 

It’s important that you simply use software program that’s absolutely configurable and constructed to adapt – not simply to tomorrow’s world, but additionally to all of the completely different groups and operations in your Belief. Once you transfer past that ‘repair downside X’ mentality and interact with a platform that’s configurable, you possibly can regularly unify your tech stack with out ripping out the floorboards. By doing this, every downside then turns into nothing greater than one other course of inside a single resolution, somewhat than having an answer for every downside.

It’s about altering the mindset round what a bit of software program is. As an alternative of fascinated with a bit of software program as a standalone repair, fixing that one downside, Trusts want to consider software program as a versatile instrument that can assist them clear up a number of issues, identified and unknown, each now and sooner or later.