Councils to share funds to digitise assessment, discharge and withdrawal notices between hospitals and social care
NHS Digital has named a group of local authorities leading partnerships that will receive shares of £1.4 million to help digitise their assessment, discharge and withdrawal (ADW) notices.
It has named Dorset, Hackney, Lancashire, Wirral, Worcestershire, Hertfordshire and Rotherham Councils as leaders of the various projects, all working with various NHS partners.
They have identified issues with their current, non-digital systems as barriers to the efficient issuing of ADW notices, which are shared between hospitals and social care teams in managing the discharge of patients in need of further support.
James Palmer, programme head for the social care programme at NHS Digital, said: “This funding isn’t going to be the whole solution to delays in transfers of care but as a digital substitute for faxes and post, these projects will help smooth the process of moving statutory key information from a healthcare setting to local authority social care.
“Further assurance comes in the form of electronic notifications, letting hospitals know that their notices have been received by the local authority.
"This will help to remove some of the pinch points in the hospital discharge process through helping health and social care to integrate their IT systems.”
The successful partnerships were chosen by an expert panel, assessing the bids on a range of criteria such as the demonstrated strength of local partnership working, supplier commitment, understanding and mitigation of risks and the overall value for money.
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