[London, UK] NHS Digital has launched a new campaign to help trusts move away from paper referrals ahead of the October 2018 deadline.
NHS England’s Standard Contract for 2017/19 makes full use of the e-Referral system for consultant-led first outpatient appointments mandatory.
Starting from October this year, organisations will only receive payments for activity resulting from referrals made through the electronic system.
In 2014, the National Audit Office estimated that the NHS could save up to £50m every single year if the digital system was used to book appointments and for all other referrals.
In a blog published yesterday, Eve Roodhouse, NHS Digital Interim Executive Director, revealed that 16 trusts have achieved the paper switch off so far, with a further 16 expected to do so before the end of this month.
Sherwood Forest Hospitals and County Durham & Darlington were the first NHS trusts to fully start processing appointments through the e-Referral service.
According to figures from NHS Digital, Taunton and Somerset and Yeovil District Hospital are two other organisations that have already achieved the target.
Morgan Thanigasalam, Sherwood Forest Hospitals ICT Clinical Lead, told BJ-HC:
“We are extremely proud to be the first Trust to achieve 100% GP e-referrals. It reflects our commitment to digitising processes – not IT for the sake of it, but digital transformation with clear benefits for patients, staff and the wider health economy.”
Trusts planning to move to 100% electronic referrals this March include Moorfields Eye Hospital, Homerton University Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the Manchester University NHS Foundation trusts.
“Achieving paper switch off will be a significant milestone for e-RS and we are absolutely committed to supporting trusts to make the switch to only using e-referrals as smooth and successful as possible,” Roodhouse wrote.
Health Minister Stephen Barclay said today the e-Referral service can allow providers to ‘manage demand and capacity more effectively’.
“It also enables general practitioners and patients to make informed decisions about the choice of provider for treatment by identifying providers associated with longer waiting times,” the Health Minister added after being questioned by Windsor MP Adam Afriyie.
More details about the campaign can be found here.
