Digital, data and technology
Our Digital Strategy
The Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS) for the North East and North Cumbria has published its Digital Strategy.
Our vision is to improve the quality and safety of care using data and digital solutions as part of a Learning Health System.
The strategy was co-produced with:
- Healthcare staff
- Commissioners
- Digital leaders
- Women and their families
Working together helped us understand what’s most important.
The strategy outlines four key themes:
- Support care
- Empower women
- Evaluate and learn
- Attract development funding
Integration with the Great North Care Record
All 8 trusts in the North East and North Cumbria use the same electronic maternity record. We have linked this system to the Great North Care Record which means that all sites can view the shared care record.
Maternity staff can access the patient’s wider healthcare record such as GP or community information. Work is taking place so data from the maternity record is made available in the Great North Care Record to other healthcare professionals. This is in progress and will be available in 2024/5.
Further information for women and families about the project is included in this leaflet, which is also available in different languages and formats.
Staff who want to use the Great North Care Record can also access training.
Digital inclusion
Technology has become an almost invisible part of most of our lives.
People who can easily access and use a digital device and mobile data can also see essential health-related information and services.
However, digital exclusion is a barrier to some women and families in accessing timely, relevant, up-to-date information or services.
Fixing the Digital Divide
The national maternity transformation team have launched a new initiative called #FixingTheDigitalDivide. This work was inspired by the South Tees approach to digital inclusion.
Trusts across England are invited to register with The Good Things Foundation to become a maternity ‘hub’ so that all women and families can have the same access to devices and data.
The LMNS team, trust digital midwives, the Integrated Care Board, Health Innovation NENC and other partners are working together put in effective solutions to increase digital inclusion.
To donate your used devices to the project, or to find out more, please contact [email protected]
Data and analytics
High quality data is an essential component for learning and improvement as part of a Learning Health System.
The Maternity Services Data Set (MSDS) dashboard brings together maternity information from different sources to support improvements to care.
For more information and instructions on staff access to NENC LMNS dashboards, email: [email protected]
