#27. W/c 17th March '25
Alastair Allen
Partner, Head of Healthcare Technology at EY | Board Member at openEHR UK | Health and Social Care Council Member at TechUK
What I read this week:
👬NHS England names new executive team to lead transition
🔗 England's national CCIO sets out a vision for integration
📲 NHS App to be integrated with Epic EPR
🚨Hospital data at risk from outdated admin systems
🆕 New Era for Mirth Connect
🩺 Virtual Wards in Donegal
🧑💻The end of programming as we know it
NHS England names new executive team to lead transition
Following last week's major news on the abolishment of NHS England, a new executive team has been announced to oversee its transition into the Department of Health and Social Care.
This new NHS Transformation Executive Team will replace the existing NHS England Executive Group, focusing on supporting ongoing business priorities and statutory functions. While most team members will assume their roles on 1 April 2025, the Deputy CEO's position remains to be confirmed.
Key changes include the elimination of previous roles such as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Delivery Officer. Instead, new roles like Financial Reset and Accountability Director and Elective Care, Cancer and Diagnostics Director have been introduced. Existing NHS members, such as Glen Burley, Mark Cubbon, and David Probert, will retain their current trust roles alongside new positions on the team. Professor Stephen Powis will continue as national medical director until July, alongside Meghana Pandit and Claire Fuller, to complete arrangements for the medical directorate. Jim Mackey will act as Chief Executive and oversee regional directors, while Navina Evans and Chris Hopson have also been appointed to strategic roles. A new Chief Digital Officer is expected to be recruited shortly.
England's national CCIO sets out a vision for integration
England's national Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO), Alec Price-Forbes, has highlighted a national agenda centred on improving interoperability and integration within the NHS. Speaking at the Digital Health Rewired 2025 event, Price-Forbes emphasised the necessity for healthcare data to be not only readable but also editable to enable efficient collaboration across the health and care systems. He noted that fragmented systems hinder the potential for interoperability, underscoring the importance of APIs for effective system integration.
Price-Forbes mentioned that there are 3,000 to 4,000 staff within the NHSE Transformation Directorate dedicated to providing frontline services and ensuring safety and quality, skills which he believes are lacking in the Department of Health and Social Care. The call for better data integration was echoed by Gemma Peters of MacMillan Cancer Support, who stressed the need for improved data sharing to prevent gaps in patient care and reduce anxiety caused by administrative issues.
Grace Smith from Nortal showcased Estonia's unified patient record system, which enables seamless data exchange across the healthcare system. Although acknowledging the differences between Estonia and England, she illustrated the benefits of such integration, including automatic enrolment in entitled benefits for chronic conditions.
All very good points, but ones that have been discussed at length over many years. Now is the time for delivery.
NHS App to be integrated with Epic EPR
The NHS App is set to be integrated with the Epic EPR system in 2025, as announced by Professor Joe Harrison at Digital Health Rewired 2025. Harrison, the national director of NHS Digital Channels at NHS England, confirmed that all major NHS EPR suppliers are either already connected to the NHS App or have plans to do so.
Currently, the app experiences over 50 million logins monthly, with a goal of reaching 100 million logins within the next year. Almost all GP practices, 99.7%, are currently integrated with the app, and it is expected that 100% of acute trusts will be connected by next year. This integration is part of the NHS's broader digital transformation efforts and aims to enhance patient engagement across the healthcare system.
Harrison highlighted the significance of the NHS App as the primary engagement tool, urging healthcare providers not yet connected to integrate swiftly to avoid being left behind. The announcement also comes amid broader discussions about the abolition of NHS England, with Harrison stressing the importance of maintaining a compassionate approach to those affected by organisational changes.
Hospital data at risk from outdated admin systems
The accuracy and availability of hospital waiting list data in Ireland are threatened due to outdated patient administration systems in some hospitals, according to a report by the Medical Independent.
The National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has raised concerns that these legacy systems, nearing their end-of-life, could disrupt the transmission of waiting list information to the NTPF, impacting national data. This issue was highlighted in meetings of the NTPF audit and risk committee and the board in September 2024, as documented in minutes obtained via Freedom of Information requests.
The NTPF is responsible for compiling and publishing public hospital waiting lists, and this data is crucial for healthcare policy and strategy. The HSE acknowledged that some systems are outdated but maintained there is no current risk to data integrity, noting ongoing replacement projects. Despite the NTPF's awareness of system upgrades in progress, concerns remain regarding potential data unavailability or inaccuracies.
Meanwhile, the NTPF and HSE are in communication to manage risks during the transition to new systems. The data from these waiting lists is vital for understanding service demand and efficiency, with nearly 570,000 individuals waiting for hospital appointments as of January.
New Era for Mirth Connect
Mirth Connect, a widely used healthcare integration engine for nearly two decades, is transitioning from its open-source roots to a fully proprietary model with the release of version 4.6.
This shift, announced by NextGen Healthcare, means that future downloads, updates, and features will require a commercial agreement, although a "Research license" will be available for non-profit academic purposes.
Known for facilitating the exchange of clinical data via HL7 and FHIR standards, Mirth Connect has been a cornerstone of open-source healthcare interoperability. However, the move to a commercial-only licence model marks a significant change for users who relied on the free, open-source version.
In response to this shift, Innovar Healthcare is launching BridgeLink, a community-led fork of Mirth Connect, to continue offering an open-source solution for healthcare integration. BridgeLink will remain free and open for contributions on GitHub, aiming to fill the gap left by Mirth Connect's change in licensing.
Virtual Wards in Donegal
The CARE Virtual Ward (CVW) in Donegal is a ground-breaking initiative funded by the SláinteCare Integration Innovation Fund (SIIF), providing a 20-bed virtual ward to deliver healthcare within patients’ homes. This programme integrates technology in patient care, partnering with PMD to onboard and upskill patients in using the system, ensuring confidence and support throughout their care journey.
The digital platform features the RespiraSense device for continuous respiratory monitoring, enabling timely and informed clinical decisions by healthcare professionals. This innovation addresses the need for community-based care, reducing reliance on hospital stays and enhancing patient experience by delivering personalised care in a familiar setting, aligning with Sláintecare principles.
Key elements of the virtual ward include a digital platform integrating Bluetooth technology, an app, and a staff-facing dashboard. Patients manage COPD exacerbations proactively with prescribed rescue packs and educational resources, allowing them to recognise early warning signs and engage with their care actively.
The CARE VW covers patients throughout Donegal, supporting early discharge and offering an alternative to hospital admission for exacerbating patients. Daily patient-clinician engagement ensures timely interventions, underscoring the programme’s role in improving patient outcomes and healthcare connections.
The end of programming as we know it
Not a health article, but an interesting piece by Tim O’Reilly on the future of programming. O’Reilly suggests that the fear of AI replacing software developers is overstated; instead, programming is evolving.
Historically, programming has advanced from manual machine operations to higher-level coding languages. New tools like no-code platforms and APIs have made programming accessible to more people, and AI is poised to continue this trend by automating certain tasks, not eliminating jobs.
This development resembles past industrial shifts: as machines took on more tasks, new skills and industries emerged, creating more jobs in the long run. AI will transform developers' roles, emphasising higher creativity and efficiency. Senior programmers must adapt or risk being outperformed by juniors adept with AI tools.
The introduction of AI agents in businesses demands a new role called an "agent engineer," akin to a frontend developer. Expertise in understanding and integrating business processes will be key. AI technologies will reshape how companies interact with customers and manage processes.
The programming landscape is shifting; while AI aids development, human insight is crucial for managing and controlling AI's power. Future programming will require marrying traditional skills with AI-led capabilities, presenting opportunities for both new entrants and seasoned developers to innovate and expand. The notion of programming is broadening, pushing more into design and conceptual work, potentially increasing the demand for programmers as new applications and technologies emerge.
Read more: https://www.oreilly.com/radar/the-end-of-programming-as-we-know-it/
Managing Director – MEA | Strategy & Digital Transformation Advisory | AI & Agentic AI | Ex-PwC & KPMG | Transforming Public & Private Sector Enterprises
6moThanks for sharing, Alastair A lot to unpack here—but what stood out for me was the practical ambition behind the NHS App–Epic integration and how roles like ‘Financial Reset Director’ show a pivot toward operational clarity. It feels like a move from broad vision to grounded execution. That said, success will still hinge on how these shifts are felt on the ground—by patients, clinicians, and across legacy systems.
Award-Winning Healthcare Sales Leader | NHS & Private Sector | Complex Solutions, Big Wins
6moThank you Alistair! I look forward to your updates every week.
Transformation Delivery Consultant at EY
6moDirk Pilat Hi Dirk, an extremely useful collection every week on digital health from EY’s Alastair Allen. Just follow!