Technology

Posted on January 6, 2020 by staff

£40m boost to NHS could cut worker login time by 90%

Technology

Health secretary Matt Hancock has announced that the government will invest £40m in IT at the NHS to cut down on worker login times.

Dubbed the ‘login project’ by the health and social care department, it aims to cut down the time it takes NHS workers to log in to disparate systems.

Some clinicians reportedly need to use as many as 15 different systems per patient, each with their own login and password information.

The project also aims to add biometric login, ensure that proper access is granted to workers who need it, and integrate local and national systems to give staff access to the complete range of clinical and workforce systems.

By using the same login and password across systems, a technique known as ‘single sign-on’, workers at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool cut their login times from as much as 105 seconds to as little as 10 during trials.

UK Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “It is frankly ridiculous how much time our doctors and nurses waste logging on to multiple systems. As I visit hospitals and GP practices around the country, I’ve lost count of the amount of times staff complain about this. It’s no good in the 21st century having 20th century technology at work.

“This investment is committed to driving forward the most basic frontline technology upgrades, so treatment can be delivered more effectively and we can keep pace with the growing demand on the NHS.”