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Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) is developing an ambitious new digital strategy enabling it to remain at the forefront of the digital healthcare revolution.

The strategy sets out MPFT’s vision over the next five years for how it can fully harness digital innovation and technology to support the transformation of health and care services.

So far there has been more than 100 hours of engagement with staff, carers, partners and users of the Trust’s services to help shape the strategy.

Martyn Perry, author of the strategy and Associate Director of Information Management & Technology (IM&T) Strategy commented on the engagement approach undertaken: “It was fundamental to the creation of a meaningful digital vision and transformation plan that we took the time to discuss with as many people as possible what was important to them, and what needed to happen to improve the quality of care. This has fed into a strategy that has real ambition and confronts the very real challenges that are faced on a daily basis.”

The Trust is welcoming a range of views on the strategy, including from fellow digital and tech colleagues working across both the NHS and further afield, ahead of the 19 August deadline.

A range of themes emerged from the feedback received during the initial phase of consultation that have served to guide the direction of the strategy, including:

  • Wellbeing and prevention - Improving prevention; treatment and promoting sustained behaviour changes in everyday living; wellbeing through wearable technology.
  • Remote care and monitoring – Telemedicine; digital therapeutics and digitally enabled interventions; apps.
  • Digital inclusion and equalities – Provision of equipment to users of the Trust’s services and accessible systems.
  • Innovation – Virtual reality; big data research; artificial intelligence; triage and smart devices.

Chris Ibell, MPFT’s Chief Digital Information Officer said: “The 100+ hours of conversations we held revealed some really interesting insights, from the different interpretations of what ‘digital’ means to people, to the clear appetite for innovation, which was very encouraging.

“We have approached the strategy with both an open mind and a collective ambition to ensure the work we do over this next five years lays the ground work for the introduction of new technologies that will enable the transformation of health and care for many years to come.”

Chris added: “It’s critical that we get this right – from empowering our staff to go on this journey with us, to ensuring the innovations we make provide choice and accommodate the needs of all who use our services, especially the most vulnerable.”

To view both the full strategy and the summary document, as well as to access an online feedback form visit www.mpft.nhs.uk/about-us/digital/digital-strategy

To listen to a podcast that goes into more details about the engagement work that has taken place to help shape the strategy, what it contains and the difference it will make to those working in and receiving the various services provided by the Trust visit the MPFT Podcast channel at https://mpft.live/podcast or click on the 'play' button below.