Barcode technology rolled out across the NHS in safety revolution
Barcode technology, which has been used for years in major industries, such as aerospace and retail, is being rolled out across the NHS in England after a pilot scheme at six sites, including Hartlepool.
In a world-first being spearheaded by the Department of Health, barcodes are being placed on breast implants, hip replacements and surgical tools, in a new drive to keep patients safe.
The £12 million Department of Health 'Scan4Safety' project is already enabling staff to quickly and easily track each patient through their hospital journey. From the uniquely barcoded wristbands patients receive when they enter the hospital, to the barcodes used to record their medication and the equipment used in their treatment, each code can be scanned to show exactly which member of staff administered each treatment at what time and where.
The barcodes mean that something as simple as a screw used in a knee operation or a breast implant that develops a fault years later can be instantly traced - and we can find out details such as when it was used and who the surgeon was who carried out the procedure.
Following successful pilots across six hospitals, 'Scan4Safety' will now be rolled out across every hospital in England from 2017, with the potential to save lives and up to £1 billion for the NHS over seven years.
Scan4Safety has been piloted across the NHS at six sites - in Derby, Leeds, Salisbury, Cornwall, Hartlepool and Plymouth. These sites have reported that the world-leading scheme is not only reducing unnecessary waste and effectively managing medical stocks, but is also saving valuable staff time and giving the patient more information about their treatment.
We know that on average, one hour a day on every nurse's shift is wasted searching for stock (source: Nursing Time survey 2014) - time that could be better spent with patients. Now, just as supermarkets know when stock is running low or past its sell by date, the barcode technology means that staff can easily keep track of hospital goods and order them automatically when they need them.
Scan 4Safety removes human inventory errors, and registers 'use by' dates on medicines and equipment meaning that stock can be managed easily and patients given the most appropriate medicines. Scan 4Safety can also be used to see how effective different equipment is- for example, if one type of hip replacement wears out easier than another, improving patient outcomes and streamlining the health system.