University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) has launched a new interactive timeline to showcase the digital projects spearheaded by its clinical and Health Informatics teams, which are improving patient care and experience.

By introducing the electronic patient record across the Trust’s main hospital sites, it has allowed 250,000 inpatient meals to be ordered through eMeals - an online system which can be accessed by ward staff via tablet computers to order patient meals. This has also meant that the staff on the wards have more time to spend on patient care, as the old paper processes could take ward staff up to an hour and a half to complete, and has similarly resulted in a reduction of food wastage.

Colin Brown, Chief Clinical Officer, UHMBT, said: “The benefits of systems like the electronic patient record to our clinical teams have been staggering. Technology really is revolutionising the way staff are working, strengthening partnerships between health and care organisations and giving patients a better experience of local healthcare.”

Andy Wicks, Chief Information Officer, UHMBT, added: “The Health Informatics team has been on an incredible journey over the past 21 years and we have witnessed health care transform thanks to the introduction of systems like the electronic patient record.”

Other exciting projects include the introduction of the electronic patient record in the Trust’s theatres; giving staff a single platform to carry out theatre check-in, manage anaesthesia and operation details, patient information in recovery and handover to the wards.

As well as developing the innovative electronic patient record, the Health Informatics team has worked closely with the Bay Health and Care Partners and GPs in the community to support the Advice and Guidance project. This allows GPs to have a secure electronic ‘conversation’ with a hospital specialist, as well as the opportunity to obtain advice for patients, without the need to refer a person for an outpatient appointment.

With the scale of digital change gathering significant pace the future looks really exciting for healthcare across Morecambe Bay; resulting in not only an increase in patient satisfaction, but also a significant improvement to the Trust's carbon footprint.