The first Labour budget for 14 years promises £22.6 billion extra funding to the NHS, including an extra £2 billion for technology and digital investment. This is obviously welcome news, but is only one part of the puzzle. Healthcare digital and technology isn’t just something that can be switched on – it needs to be part of the whole picture, from leadership to frontline staff. And as the NHS becomes more technologically enabled, the chronic digital skills shortage is only likely to grow.
Untapped potential
The Darzi report identifies that ‘while there are many excellent examples of technology having an important impact in the NHS - from virtual wards to remote dermatology consultations - it has not radically reshaped services’. Instead:
'The NHS, in common with most health systems, continues to struggle to fully realise the benefits of information technology. It always seems to add to the workload of clinicians rather than releasing more time to care by simplifying the inevitable administrative tasks that arise. The extraordinary richness of NHS datasets is largely untapped either in clinical care, service planning, or research. […] Digital maturity is still low across much of the NHS.'
Indeed, endless technology roll outs add to frustration, not reduce them; yet international research company KLAS found that 66% of the discrepancy in usability is about how individual Trusts implement technology, not about the technology itself. And review after review after review (to list just three) have found that there is a real shortage of digital skills needed to harness technology effectively, with this only set to increase.
Bridging the gap
So how can healthcare providers introduce and utilise new technology? Working with a firm like CereCore International can make all the difference. We bring seasoned professionals to the table - people who have the experience and depth of knowledge to handle specialised work that no one else can. We can provide support and expertise at all stages of an organisation’s digital journey.
- EPR deployments: Our expertise in Electronic Patient Record (EPR) deployments means we support Trusts from planning through to go-live, ensuring a smooth transition that prioritises clinician usability and patient care. We help you set up robust systems that deliver on expected outcomes while aligning with NHS goals.
- Optimisation: Post-deployment, we provide ongoing optimisation services that ensure systems continue to deliver value. From improving system functionality to aligning technology with evolving healthcare needs, our team works to maximise the return on your digital investments, improving both clinician satisfaction and patient outcomes.
- Managed services: Our managed services are designed to be a strategic, long-term solution that supports your digital infrastructure's maintenance and growth. With tailored IT support, we help reduce overheads, address skills shortages, and maintain high standards of service without burdening internal teams.
Contractors and Agency Staff: Are They Worth It?
The NHS is under increasing pressure to reduce its spending on consultancy, contractors, and agency staff. Political discussions around NHS expenditure have raised concerns about the financial sustainability of relying heavily on temporary staff. Critics argue that agency staff, while filling immediate gaps, represent a short-term solution that can drain resources over time. The 2024 report by the Health Foundation found that NHS expenditure on agency staff remains high, driven by staffing shortages and the need to maintain patient safety in understaffed areas.
However, the question remains: what is the long-term value to the NHS?
The NHS is under increasing pressure to reduce its spending on consultant and temporary staff, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves using her first speech to the Commons to call for the public sector to reduce spending on external consultancy by £3 billion. And while spending on consultancy and agency staff has ballooned since the pandemic, there will always be a place for technical specialists within the NHS. After all, the NHS routinely uses external support from specialists including architects, lawyers and technicians for both one-off implementations and day-to-day managed services. The difference between the two is the long-term value they bring to the organisation. By engaging with a specialist partner like CereCore International, hospitals can access expertise that is often unavailable internally. While agency staff might be seen as a costly fix, using a consulting partner with specialist knowledge can actually reduce costs in the long term by improving efficiency, optimising processes, and reducing the burden on internal teams.
Moreover, a consulting partner brings a depth of experience and best practices from other organisations, helping hospitals navigate complex IT challenges and ensuring that digital transformations are successful. This specialist knowledge is key when implementing large-scale IT systems like EPRs (Electronic Patient Records) or addressing regulatory changes, where internal teams may lack the bandwidth or expertise to handle such demands.
Hospitals need to work with external technology partners to manage these specialised tasks efficiently, ensuring that both short-term gaps and long-term strategic goals are addressed. The use of managed services and a specialist partner can provide a more sustainable solution than continually relying on temporary agency staff, ultimately delivering more value for the NHS.
Professional Services: Hitting the ground running
Our professional services provide healthcare organisations with immediate access to skilled experts who integrate seamlessly into projects, bringing industry-specific expertise to ensure rapid, effective progress. From complex EPR implementations to regulatory compliance, our team reduces onboarding time and offers tailored support that aligns with your needs - whether for short-term impact or sustained transformation. By partnering with us, you relieve your internal teams of additional technical demands, enabling them to focus on patient care while we drive project success and long-term efficiency improvements.
Managed Services: A Long-term Solution
Specialist knowledge is key to overcoming healthcare IT challenges. At CereCore International, we provide managed services that are uniquely tailored to meet the needs of healthcare organisations. This includes addressing skills shortages and delivering high-quality services that improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance patient care.
By partnering with us, hospitals can ensure that their IT systems are in expert hands, allowing their internal teams to focus on other critical tasks.
To summarise, the skills gap is real, and addressing it requires more than just filling vacancies - it requires experienced professionals who understand the unique challenges of healthcare IT.
Don’t let the skills gap hold your organisation back. Get in touch to explore how we can support your digital journey and work together to maximise the value of your technology initiatives.
