NHS England’s chief information officer, John Quinn, has emphasized the importance of delivering national architecture and standards for the healthcare system in a speech at the Healthcare Excellence Through Technology 2023 conference. Quinn acknowledged the burden of legacy technology and underinvestment in infrastructure that threatens to hinder NHS England’s progress. He stated that 40% of spending by integrated care systems is allocated to legacy infrastructure, while only 3% of revenue is available for transformation. Quinn’s mission is to prioritize digital, data, and technology to transform the NHS and ensure that senior officials understand the significance of good service design. He also stressed the importance of investing in people, particularly the professional development and remuneration of digital professionals in the core public sector.
Quinn further emphasized the need for a different relationship between the center and frontline of the NHS, bringing the talent and perspectives of the frontline staff into decision-making processes. He expressed his belief that relying on in-house data centers and infrastructure might not be the most efficient approach and suggested exploring cloud services and software as a service. Quinn also predicted future challenges in technology and security, stressing the importance of breaking up large digital investments into smaller, manageable portions to mitigate the risk of mistakes.
Overall, Quinn’s speech highlighted the need for standardized infrastructure, increased investment in digital professionals, and a collaborative approach to decision-making in order to successfully transform the NHS and overcome the challenges posed by legacy technology.