We're extremely proud that Cinapsis has been included in NHSX’s new Clinical Communications Procurement Framework, launched on 3rd August 2020. We’re in excellent company, sitting alongside 25 brilliant healthtech companies who’ve also been vetted and approved by the NHS to help Trusts improve care through stronger communications.
The Framework is a crucial part of Matt Hancock’s plan - announced in February this year - to completely phase out pagers by 2021. The aim is for all Trusts to have the infrastructure in place to onboard the very best digital communication platforms on the market by the end of September 2020.
Every supplier included in the Framework has been carefully assessed and selected in line with rigorous criteria, enabling Trusts to choose trusted partners quickly without worrying about compliance or reliability. We’re delighted to have the official stamp of approval.
But why now?
The COVID-19 crisis has foregrounded the importance of safe and clear communication across every sector, and the health sector is no different. The NHS is an incredible machine, but its different engines often struggle to work in tandem. Huge silos still exist between primary and secondary care, emergency care and community health services. Now more than ever we need unity to tackle patient backlogs, overcome barriers and ensure no patient falls through the net.
Better communication tools like Cinapsis are the solution. With hospitals at the frontline of the country’s fight against the virus - and at the heart of public health - we welcome the government’s clear prioritisation of improving clinical communications to improve care.
So how can Cinapsis help your organisation?
The pandemic presented fresh challenges to an already stretched NHS, but technology like ours helped staff and organisations cope every step of the way; and will continue to do so as we recover.
For example, Cinapsis enabled GPs, paramedics and community nurses to communicate quickly and securely with local hospital specialists throughout the pandemic, facilitating a tighter referral process and fewer ‘unnecessary’ hospital appointments at a time when hospitals were overrun. In Gloucestershire ICS, the use of Cinapsis saw 32% of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 successfully cared for at home.
Crucially, Cinapsis allows patients to have their symptoms assessed by a specialist from their very first encounter with a clinical service, without being sent to A&E or enduring a long wait for a hospital appointment. More often than not, there’s a service in the community that’s better suited to a patient’s needs than an outpatient referral or an A&E attendance. For example, we’ve directly created a 70% reduction in face-to-face appointments for dermatology in one region of the UK, simply through smarter triaging.
We're supporting emergency care too, allowing paramedics to contact A&E specialists in advance so that urgent hospital admissions can be streamlined and planned for. Cinapsis has proven invaluable across Gloucestershire ICS, reducing unnecessary A&E attendances by 83% by funnelling patients to a more appropriate service in hospital or the community.
At a time when protecting both patients and our NHS is an utmost priority, tech like ours that facilitates stronger communications between teams to keep patients out of hospital (where possible) is vital.
For more information on how Cinapsis can help your organisation achieve Sir Simon Stevens’ aims for phase 3 of the NHS’ COVID recovery, click here.
The importance of the Framework cannot be overstated
Providing this Framework to NHS Trusts will make it much easier for healthcare teams to focus their onboarding efforts on the tech that’s truly worth their time. Trusts can now access a handpicked list of approved suppliers without having to worry about governance, clinical safety or compliance, helping to create a more resilient, secure and united NHS in the long-term.
Removing inefficiencies in the referral process, connecting primary and secondary care and reducing hospital admissions is part of the future of healthcare as we see it. It’s exciting to see clear government measures that empower Trusts to make informed decisions about the technology they want to use to achieve this.
We look forward to seeing the huge improvements this Framework will bring to an NHS that stands to gain huge amounts from stronger relationships, fewer silos and world-leading clinical communications.