Implementing Digital in New and Retained Estate

Time: 11:25 am - 11:50 am

Date: 08 Oct 2024

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is planning a once-in-a-generation scheme to build a new hospital as part of the Government’s New Hospitals Programme. The Trust’s new hospital programme, Building the Leeds Way, highlights how digital infrastructure and technologies can be effectively implemented into new and retained estates.

There are several key issues that are impacting the estates and facilities profession when implementing digital technologies. Whilst the selection and integration of individual products that make up the overall solution is extremely important, gaining Trust staff buy-in and adoption is critical in implementing any solution. Recognising the solution should be co-developed with the estates and facilities (instead of being dictated by the digital team), and that any new build is likely to form part of a much wider estate portfolio (the new elements typically represent less than 20% of the overall estate) enables constructive discussions around how the wider Trust portfolio must be modernised and digitalised.

Whilst Hospital 2.0 standards align to the industry vision of creating a flexible digital hospital, ensuring where possible the needs of the current estate are considered in the design and implementation of data standards and digital technologies for new buildings are paramount. The timeline for when the new hospitals will be available is uncertain, so waiting for the new facilities to address challenges of today does not align to the Trust’s ambitions and wider roadmaps. Phasing the implementation of standards and solutions across the estate so that most of the change has already been experienced by staff ahead of habiting the new hospital enables smooth transition.

It is noted that the implementation of digital change into the existing estate may not entirely be possible, due to either physical constraints of the building or the ability to add capacity to existing infrastructure, but generally change can occur. Where it may not be blue sky change, roadmaps can be created and followed that narrows the gap for both technology and staff technical competence between the current state and digital utopia.

SPEAKERS

  • Laura Harrop Project Manager - Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Magnus Leask Director, Intelligent Buildings Group - Hoare Lea

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