Virgin Media Business has announced research which indicates that two-thirds of NHS providers feel unprepared for the transition from the legacy N3 to the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN), and nearly nine out of 10 need additional guidance on the services that should be replaced and how they should access funds.
For the last decade, N3 has been the national broadband network built and managed for the NHS by BT. From April, the significant market position BT has enjoyed will be removed when the HSCN takes its place, opening up a more competitive marketplace and allowing technology to deliver better healthcare services to patients.
Virgin Media Business recently surveyed 100 organisations about their preparations for the HSCN, and found most were not aware of the scale of the task of transitioning to the new network, currently planned for launch this month.
Nearly nine out of ten respondents also don’t know if they have the right skills and knowledge within their organisations to manage the change.
Virgin Media Business is closely involved in the HSCN transition and as a member of Innopsis, played a key role in defining and planning the new network and marketplace, and will be a certified supplier of HSCN Services.
Virgin Media Business can help organisations plan for the transition ahead, by firstly assisting setting up procurement frameworks, allocating funding and deciding what services will be most beneficial for organisations and patients.
Gerry Arthurs, Director of Public Sector, Virgin Media Business, said: “Health and social care organisations will now need to apply for funding and pay for their services directly, which will give them more control and allow them to tailor a service that is fit for purpose.
“Virgin Media Business has played a key role in developing the new network and is well equipped to assist health organisations through this transition.
“The change will benefit both users and suppliers – it will open the environment up to true competition and organisations will be able to choose a supplier that meets their needs. This levels the playing field and provides much better value for money for health providers.”
Speaking at the HSCN Summit 2017, Virgin Media Business gave health providers insight into the steps they need to take to transition to the HSCN and how to get the most out of the new network for health professionals and patients.
Once implemented, the HSCN will deliver faster and more affordable bandwidth, new innovative technologies that can be deployed right across the health sector, and a far greater opportunity to share services than ever before.
The HSCN will enable health and social care organisations to differentiate themselves by adopting leading edge technology to create efficiency and improve patient care.
-ENDS-
Visit https://www.virginmediabusiness.co.uk/hscn-digital-transformation to access:
- The full Digital Healthcare Agenda Report
- Virgin Media Business Whitepaper HSCN: Imagine the Possibilities
The Digital Healthcare Agenda survey was conducted by iGov in partnership with Virgin Media Business. The data was collected from 100 healthcare organisations from 23 February to 15 March 2017.
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