Philip Jones
17 Aug 2022 · Coroner Alison Mutch · Manchester South
This report repeats 2 earlier warnings, and was raised again 2 times later. See the linked reports.
The coroner's concerns
1. neurology appointment backlog
“significant backlogs in appointments to see a neurologist due to a national shortage of clinicians and appointments”
2. disconnected IT systems
“incompatible/different IT systems at the District General Hospital and Tertiary Centre made communication and information sharing in relation to patients more difficult”
3. communication delays
“delays in communications from consultants to other clinicians e.g. GPs and patients following appointments/assessments due to a shortage of administrative support for consultants”
Linked reports
Closely relatedConfidence 0.96 · high
Earlier report
“The I.T systems of the pathology department of the Trust and other hospital Trusts were incompatible with each other. This meant that transfer of information between trusts to obtain a second opinion were more difficult.”
This report
“The Inquest heard evidence that incompatible/different IT systems at the District General Hospital and Tertiary Centre made communication and information sharing in relation to patients more difficult.”
Closely relatedConfidence 0.90 · high
Earlier report
“lack of a single IT system across NHS trusts meant that information sharing was more difficult”
This report
“incompatible/different IT systems at the District General Hospital and Tertiary Centre made communication and information sharing in relation to patients more difficult”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“incompatible/different IT systems at the District General Hospital and Tertiary Centre made communication and information sharing in relation to patients more difficult”
Later report
“There are multiple software programmes for record keeping for these organisations, which makes transfer and sharing of clinical information cumbersome and difficult, as direct sharing is not possible.”
Identical hazardConfidence 0.90 · high
This report
“The Inquest heard evidence that incompatible/different IT systems at the District General Hospital and Tertiary Centre made communication and information sharing in relation to patients more difficult.”
Later report
“the manager of the 111 Helpline agreed that the various IT systems do not”
Responses
2022-0255-Response-from-Department-of-Health-and-Social-Care.pdf ↗· Department of Health and Social Care
Stated action · February 2022
“the NHS is working tirelessly to reduce the backlog of planned treatment. In February 2022, the NHS published its Delivery Plan for Tackling the COVID-19 Backlog of Elective Care.' This plan sets out the action that will be taken and is already underway to support the healthcare system in England as it recovers from the disruption caused by the pandemic, as well as to deliver the necessary reforms that are important to the NHS's long-term future.”
2022-0255-Response-from-Greater-Manchester-Integrated-Care.pdf ↗· Department of Health and Social Care
Stated action
“The Neurology service has always had more referral demand than capacity, our current capacity modelling reflects an approx. deficit of 1500 new patient slots per month. A comprehensive action plan detailing the steps being taken as a service to bring down the current waiting list to acceptable levels (attached) has been developed and the current situation is scoring highly on the trust risk register. (Copy attached).”