The Prime Minister has backed in Parliament a report by Havant MP Alan Mak, that calls for a technology upgrade of the NHS.
Theresa May was speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, responding to Alan Mak MP, who asked if Government planned on using the extra £20billion of funding that will be given to the NHS by 2024 to upgrade aging NHS technology. Alan believes that some of the extra funding should be directed towards upgrading technologies in GP surgeries and hospitals such as QA.
It comes after Alan released Powerful Patients, Paperless Systems How new technology can renew the NHS, a report published in May that called for the NHS to become 100 per cent digitally driven within the next ten years. The report was endorsed by the then Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and all ten of its recommendations have since been welcomed by his successor Matt Hancock.
Speaking in the House of Commons the Prime Minister said: “Can I first of all thank my Hon Friend [Alan Mak MP] for the report on the use of technology in the NHS. We are dedicated to using this new funding to support technology transformation and modernisation.”
Alan said that he welcomed the Prime Minister’s backing for his report and said since the launch of his paper, he’d received “excellent feedback” from Government. That includes the announcement that the Government plans to introduce a new NHS App for booking hospital appointments, repeat prescriptions and accessing NHS Direct – a key recommendation from Alan’s report.
Alan Mak MP said: “I am delighted that the Prime Minister endorsed my report, and the Government is focused on upgrading technology in the NHS. With the first of my recommendations now officially being given the go-ahead, I’m confident that the Government is committed to ensuring that fax machines, pagers and paper can become a thing of the past in health system – saving taxpayers money and delivering a better service for patients.”
As well as working to improve our NHS on a national level, Alan has been leading the efforts locally for more funding for Queen Alexandra Hospital, including backing a bid for a new A&E department, and securing the future of Emsworth Victoria Cottage Hospital.
Alan’s full NHS report can be read online, visit alanmak.org.uk/NHSreport for more information.