Winning over clinicians key to success says Economist

Winning over busy, sceptical clinicians to the benefits of NHS IT modernisation has been highlighted as a key challenge by the influential journal, the Economist.

A two page analysis of Connecting for Health’s programme concludes that the agency is making a better fist of the ‘dauntingly vast’ National Programme for IT than pessimists expected, but adds that until clinicians are won over it will be too early to declare victory.

The article explores the setting up the national programme, the procurement of systems for the five English regions and the robust style of its leader, CfH chief executive, Richard Granger whom it describes as “a pit-bull of a man, even his fans term him ‘Mr Angry.’”

It records Granger as accepting “that GPs could have been handled better” and cites as an example the furore over the initial isolation of the market leading GP system, Emis, from the national contracts and plans.

The article says that some GPs and consultants are balking at recasting their records in a uniform and, in their view time-consuming way. It quotes Granger as saying: “It’s a cultural change for them. We’re asking them to go from a solipsistic to a communitarian environment.” But, the Economist asks, “How many doctors understand why they are being asked to do things differently?”

The article emphasises that the stakes are huge. “Modernisation of the NHS is New Labour’s crucible: if CfH cannot expand patient choice and shorten waiting lists, Tony Blair may count his career to have ended in failure,” the Economist predicts.

The close relationship between the national programme and the political goals for the NHS are emphasised in a profile of the Choose and Book scheme which looks at a practice using the scheme successfully but notes slow progress.

“The government wanted it fully operational – supporting choice from among four-five hospitals – by the end of this year. That hope has been dashed…

“Because the government is determined to meet its pledge to offer choice for elective care by the end of the year, family doctors will have to rely on an inferior and more time-consuming means of referral. Cause to grumble but the fault of a political deadline rather than e-booking,” the Economist concludes.