A new way of working is ensuring the Great Western Hospital can identify more patients for surgical treatment.

Great Western NHS Foundation Trust is using a new IT system  to better manage how staff book patients into theatres. The system, the Care Coordination Solution (CCS), works by connecting different hospital IT systems so  staff have access to the information they need, in one secure platform, to manage all coordination needed to schedule patients into operating theatres.

Since adopting the tool, the trust now submits all scheduling requests through the CCS. The solution  automatically alerts staff where there may be potential scheduling issues so that quick actions can be taken to prevent procedures and theatre sessions being cancelled.

The software allows staff to work more efficiently, with staff no longer having to manually look through hand-written notes, emails, excel documents and meeting minutes to know what was required for upcoming sessions.

John Wells, Theatre Manager said: “This has revolutionised how we book our theatres.”

“With CCS, we have everything in one place, and everyone is kept informed on all changes, saving a lot of time, and avoiding confusion.”

“When I come in on a Monday morning,  I can  instantly see what sessions are over or under-booked meaning I can send out messages informing people which sessions are available.”

Following the success at Great Western, NHS England is funding the deployment of the system  in trusts across the country – ensuring that patients are seen faster and in priority order.

NHS England is currently procuring federated data platform software for the NHS, which will provide each ICS and trust with cutting-edge technology enabling them to use their data and information more efficiently to develop and share innovative solutions to better manage capacity, reduce waiting lists, deliver better care, and improve outcomes for patients.

The capabilities this system  provides will be available through the federated data platform  to provide trusts with the information they need to understand patterns, solve problems and plan services for their local populations and patients.