Create a digitally enabled environment to effectively deliver virtual care, making the best use of resources

We know that some virtual services can be provided without the use of technology, but many more will be heavily reliant on the use of digital technology.

It is clear that we will need a strong and reliable digital infrastructure to give us a stable foundation on which to build our virtual services.

At the Trust we call this our “Brilliant Basics” and we have plans in place to ensure that our digital infrastructure is safe and secure.

This infrastructure ranges from up to date video conferencing facilities, with private space for virtual consultations or virtual Multidisciplinary team meetings, with adequate cameras and screens. We will also need robust connectivity to key clinical information about our patients held on the Electronic Patient Record.

This robust infrastructure will also include the development and use of apps and equipment to monitor the health of patients.

We take our information governance responsibilities very seriously and we will ensure that we have strong arrangements to keep patient information safe.

Given our ambitions to create seamless and “badge-less” models of care across our local HCP we will work with partners to allow us to share information with each other for the purposes of direct care and in line with Caldicott principles.

It is also essential that our patients and their families are able to access digitally enabled virtual services and use them competently and with confidence.

We will work with partners across Bradford District and Craven to cater for those people in our local population that may not have access to electronic devices or connectivity or for whom English is not their first language.

We call this work digital inclusion and it may include the use of pop-up help centres where the local community can receive information and advice about the use of digital services or are helped to use services in care hubs located in easily accessible locations around the district.

We will make sure that everyone who wants to access virtual care and digital services is able to do so.