Summary
- Robust, reliable and flexible solution implemented, enabling 300 remote users to work across community services
- Overall cost per user reduced as part of solution
- Enabler for new working practices, improving performance, efficiencies with improved standards of care
Background
The services being delivered were made up of adult community nursing and specialist therapies, long-term conditions, end-of-life care, services for people aged 65 and over, adult musculoskeletal and neurotherapy services as well as children’s therapies. In addition, Children’s Health Services, inclusive of health visiting, school nursing, weight management, immunisations, safeguarding and children’s respite services.
The Challenge
When a world leading hospital won the contract to run community health services, they inherited a service that was failing its patients. Staff were unable to effectively support patients in real time, relying on pieces of paper when on home visits and only able to access patient records when back at a central hub. The existing technical solution was not only unreliable it was inflexible.
The challenge to BCMB was to deliver a solution that was not only reliable, robust, resilient and scalable, but one that was also cost effective to implement and cheaper to operate. Timescales were tight and the solution had to be up and running in 3 months with all users migrated to the new service.
The Solution
Working closely with key stakeholders including the teams on the ground, we undertook an initial due-diligence exercise so we could fully understand the extent of the challenges being faced. In parallel with the business leaders we gained a clear understanding of the strategic direction and tactical objectives.
With a clear objective we set about designing a solution to meet the business needs. Over the coming weeks and months, working hand in hand with the business, BCMB demonstrated several technical solutions, testing and validating to ensure the end solution delivered the best possible outcomes.
The end result was a completely mobile solution utilising wireless networks when on-premise and 4G services when working remotely. From an end user prospective the applications and services were seamless. There was no real IT knowledge required meaning they could concentrate on delivering better patient care.
The solution clearly delivered all the objectives set out and agreed including a reduction in ongoing IT support costs. The IT model required to support the previous solution was scraped. A centralised model was implemented with IT able to support the business remotely. This not only reduced the operational costs but also raised the levels of service being provided by the IT teams.
Summary
- Addressed real and present data security issue
- Delivered a hospital-wide managed print solution across all clinical and business areas both locally and across 20 geographically remote sites
- Significantly reduced costs and increased accountability for departmental print spend
- Enabled BI across the hospital facilitating better understanding of print usage
- Migrated clinical letter printing to a more cost-effective outsourced fulfillment house solution
Background
An NHS Foundation Trust who is the leading provider of eye health services in the UK and a world-class centre of excellence for ophthalmic research and education. A reputation developed over two centuries, for providing the highest quality of ophthalmic care. With over 2,000 staff committed to sustaining and building on a pioneering legacy and ensuring they remain at the cutting edge of developments in ophthalmology.
The Challenge
An organisation with an ageing fleet of printers and fax machines, with no significant capital expenditure available to remediate. Multiple information governance risks relating to patient confidentiality and the loss of patient data through the use of stand-alone printers. Staff working on multiple sites on a day to day basis with no capability to print.
The Solution
Understanding the scale of the problem was the first step. In excess of 800 stand alone printers distributed throughout the organisation with no rational as to why they were there.
We started with a discovery exercise to understand the ‘as is’ picture. In parallel, working closely with business units and departments we mapped out a ‘target’ state showing the numbers, locations and type of devices required. One of the real challenges in building this picture was the reluctance of users to relinquish their stand-alone printers, with no appetite for change. This was only achieved by making sure we clearly understood the business processes and could provide a solution that either matched or improved what was undertaken previously.
With agreed requirements, we managed the full end-to-end delivery including the procurement and vendor selection process. With a delivery of this scale the approach was a phased one, prioritising and working with specific, targeted areas until completion, before moving onto the next. A challenging project but one that was delivered on schedule and achieved all of it’s required benefits with some additional ones as well.
A key outcome achieved was that everyone in the organisation could print and scan from any of the organisations 20 sites. The ability to control who was allowed what and where, was centrally managed. The solution provided the organisation with a full audit of exactly who was printing what and how much it cost. This then enabled the business to ask the question why?
This in turn helped improve business process and keep control of the costs. The MI provided from this was the evidence required to outsource the letter fulfilment function in the organisation. BCMB also negotiated and secured the outsourcing company as part of the project.
Printing was secure, everyone’s ID badge was linked to the printing solution and users had to swipe their badge to receive their prints. We moved printing to an operational consumption-based cost model with the ability to cross charge by function or department.
Other key measures of success were the reduction in the environmental footprint and the future-proofing of the solution for the phasing out of fax machines in 2020.
Summary
- Created a company-wide information governance framework to manage all Information Governance risks
- Obtained ISO27001 security standard accreditation
- Obtained NHS IG Toolkit approval and implemented N3 network. This facilitated digital image transfer between hospitals and follow the sun radiology reading centers
- Gained approval for pseudonymised images to be sent to Australia facilitating fast turnaround and improvement in clinical delivery
- Implemented an NHS compliant Tier 4 data centre delivering IT platforms for newly established Australian business in the UK
Background
Started in Australia, this international radiology organisation delivers round-the-clock radiology services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The increased demand for these services in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USA, South Africa and beyond required them to set up reporting suites and IT infrastructure in the UK.
The Challenge
The demand for round-the-clock high quality radiology reporting services in the UK required ahighly available, secure and compliant infrastructure to be set up, and be connected back toAustralia and other international sites. An additional requirement, specifically for the UK, was to ensure that the organisation matched the exacting security, information technology and information governance standards required by NHSD.
Finally, this world-leading organisation wanted to set up a fully compliant information governance framework that would not only support NHS standards, but also meet with the ISO27001 security standard.
The challenge for BCMB was to understand the problem, creating a working plan that dovetailed the requirements of the Australian parent with the exacting standards within the UK. At the same time ensuring that the solution deployed was performant, scalable and would facilitate additional connectivity of multiple domains in a secure way.
BCMB also needed to set up, from scratch, an information governance framework that facilitated connectivity to the NHS’s N3 wide area network and satisfied the requirements of ISO27001 security standard in a way that would allow international sites to be added as required. BCMB needed to get all of these requirements implemented within 4 months to satisfy contractual obligations.
The Solution
BCMB worked very closely with all stakeholders in the business to fully understand the requirements and timescales. Part of the requirement was to create an initial outline business case (OBC), leading to a full business case (FBC). This gave context and a financial envelope in which to set up the Programme Board, which had various work streams to deliver the requirements.
BCMB worked with the organisation to agree requirements, create project plans and agree quality measurements to ensure that the project was aligned to the business’ strategic objectives. BCMB was entrusted with completing a due diligence of all the technology vendors and run a mini selection process to ensure best value from the tender.
The programme was implemented and fully managed by BCMB with a project team and technical. SME’s to ensure the technical infrastructure was fit for purpose and scalable to fit business objectives. The set up of the IT infrastructure included the selection and implementation of a Tier 4 data centre including ancillary support services and contracts, the selection of a localised IT infrastructure and support for the radiology suites, the selection of LAN, WAN and international. WAN from the UK to Australia and other international sites.
The team also set up and implemented the governance framework, including the information governance committee (IGC), ISMS and ToRs of the meetings. Additionally taking the organisation through the IG toolkit, code of connection process and aligning this to the ISO27001 standard to ensure agility and compliance.
BCMB achieved all of the initial objectives of the project and ensured that the organisation was able to meet their contractual obligations, on time and on budget.
BCMB continued to work with the organisation as a trusted advisor helping the organisation to grow and deliver excellent clinical care whilst ensuring highly available IT services remained fit for purpose. BCMB ensured that ISO27001 accreditation was achieved and maintained. Additionally NHS code of connection was approved and an N3 link to the NHS WAN was delivered.
Summary
- Obtained NHS IG Toolkit approval and implemented N3 network to facilitate secure email and data transfer between the company and NHS Trusts
- Implemented IG framework including IGC, ISMS and full audit schedule
Background
Insourcing company that creates additional capacity by providing clinical and diagnostic services, including day cases and inpatients that require surgery. They work closely with NHS organisations to reduce waiting times through excellent service and by using NHS substantive staff.
The Challenge
The requirement to share information securely between NHS sites and the company meant that an NHS N3 connection would be needed to provide secure transmission and reception of confidential patient data.
BCMB had to understand the organisation and setup the information governance framework from commencement to initial meetings. As there was no formal documentation in place, all the policies and procedures required to gain code of connection via the IG Toolkit had to be created from scratch.
The Solution
BCMB worked very closely with the company and its key stakeholders to produce a project plan that took them through all of the stages to gain approval via NHSD. This included ensuring that a full ISMS was created detailing ToR’s, meeting frequencies, corate quorate attendee list, assigned responsibilities, appropriate level sign-offs and a full policy and procedure list. Full IG training was given to all staff to ensure they understood patient confidentiality.
Finally BCMB worked with NHSD and BT, their N3 supplier, to install and commission a full connection to the NHS network and thus facilitating secure email and data transfer.
Subsequently the company has had numerous approvals of their tool kit and BCMB acts as a guide to ensure good IG governance.