In this section...

  1. How we make decisions
  2. Our priorities
  3. Policies and procedures
  4. What we spend and how we spend it
  5. Who we are and what we do
  6. Work for us
Patient with nurse at Minor injury unit at St Mary’s Community Hospital

Enable clinicians to spend at least 70% of time on patient-facing work

Electronic health records are fantastic. At any point we can see the notes of other teams across the Trust. Soon we will be able to see GP and hospital records. We have to be careful though. Just because we can record things does not mean we have to. Our clinicians need to be well trained and supported by supervision and our policies to preserve a culture of empowerment and trust in our clinical practice. We must not burden clinicians with unhelpful bureaucracy or fear that could stop us from treating as many patients as possible, as safely as possible.

Great care does not happen without kindness, without relationships and without hope. While technology can enable people to be more in control of their care and it can help us to be more efficient, we need to remember that care also needs connection. So, with all of our developments, we must ask ourselves, will this enable more direct care? Will it bring us closer to the people we need to provide care for?

How we will do this

Use digital technology to free up clinicians' time

We will implement our digital strategy with strong clinical partnership to ensure we can use digital technology at key points in the care pathway, such as triage to enable faster access to the right treatments. We will realise the full benefit of the Devon and Cornwall Care Record and shared care records including an integrated approach to the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust E-Care implementation. We will build a team of clinical information officers to safely review, promote and support the implementation of new technologies including artificial intelligence, that will improve the efficiency, effectiveness and experience of care.

Reduce unnecessary documentation

We will review our clinical records policy with the specific aim of reducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Develop a culture of practice that allows clinicians to confidently focus on providing the right care

We will develop a culture that removes blame and fear but is driven by accountability and the desire to achieve the highest standards. We will clearly describe the full breadth of what is considered part of direct clinical care and promote a culture of trust in clinical care so excessive documentation is not encouraged and can be challenged by teams.

Use administrative roles to support the more effective and efficient provision of care

We will carry out a review of how we use administrative roles in the Trust to free up clinicians' time for patient care. We will develop a clear understanding of the benefit of administrative support so we can establish the right mix of roles within our organisation to deliver effective and efficient care.

How will we know we have achieved this?

We will know we have achieved this when:

  • all integrated neighbourhood teams have access to an electronic patient record
  • there is a strong team of clinical information officers supporting innovation and implementation
  • we have published a renewed risk assessment and record keeping policy that reduces the burden of documentation where appropriate
  • an administration review will have been completed creating effective and satisfying roles for admin staff, responding to IT developments and supporting clinical staff to focus on patient care
  • we can demonstrate the proportion of clinicians' time spent on patient facing work has increased to 70%

Linked Care Quality Commission statements

  • Safe and effective staffing.
  • How staff, teams and services work together.