Creating the conditions for change
Why is this important?
To achieve our ambitions as outlined in our three pillars above, there are several things we need to have in place.
We need to make the best use of new digital tools and our buildings to deliver services that are better, faster and more joined up. Embracing the latest technology can help us to improve diagnosis and treatment, provide services at the best value and ensure people can access treatment closer to home. This supports one of the government’s three 10 Year Health Plan shifts – from analogue to digital.
We’re also tackling climate change in key areas such as medicines management, estates, digital and travel.
We’re ambitious about improving health and care for local people, including reducing waiting times, but we acknowledge that with a growing demand for services and costs increasing, the year ahead will be challenging.
We will focus on using our money wisely whilst making sure services are safe and high quality.
What have we done?
In early 2025, we launched the latest version of our Shared Care Record, known locally as Joining Up Your Information. This is a software system that allows instant, secure access to patient health and social care records, making care safer, more efficient and joined up.
As part of our ‘Green Plan,’ GP Practices have been changing their prescribing of inhalers to lower carbon alternatives. This has reduced our carbon footprint significantly, the equivalent of the emissions from driving an average petrol care 312,000 miles.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have been using a new platform to help manage things like scheduling surgeries, procedures and outpatient appointments more efficiently. They’re also focusing on ways to improve productivity and ‘create capacity to care’ by working collaboratively with staff to identify areas where there are opportunities to improve ways of working.
What are we doing next?
Expanding the use of technology, exploring digital care plans, increasing the use of the NHS app and making it easier for patients to access, and enhancing telehealth and virtual ward monitoring.
Working within six ‘transformation portfolio’ areas we will look at how improvements can be made in terms of improving performance in priority areas and ensuring the quality and safety of local services.
Continuing to reduce how much we spend on agency staffing.