Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Delt Shared Services set to deliver digital transformation to provide exceptional customer care

Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT) is embarking on an ambitious transformation project, which will see their IT become more aligned with the NHS’s digital aspirations. This work will achieve a significant step-change in how the organisation collaborates with other service providers and delivers high quality care.  

At any one-time DPT supports around 30,000 people across Devon, the wider Southwest region and nationally. The organisation works closely with other health and social care providers to support the recovery of people with mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity needs. 

Delt Shared Services has been brought on board to support DPT with its plans for digital maturity, removing boundaries to information sharing and improving collaboration across the health and social care sector. 

It is difficult to imagine that an IT provider could make an impact on patient care. However, through this new partnership, DPT aims to deliver better population health outcomes by achieving its digital transformation strategy.  

The partnership has been formed based on Delt’s own work with Mental Health in the workplace. The organisation prioritises support and resources for its 200+ workforce and genuinely believes that happy staff are successful and productive employees.  

Rafael Sorribas, Chief Information Officer, says: “Over the last three years, we have increased our use of technology to support how we work at a far greater rate than we could have imagined or planned for. We have given out more than 4,000 laptops, iPads, and iPhones, and introduced a number of new applications and a VPN to support remote working. Users of our services have been able to connect to our care teams and staff have all been kept connected to colleagues across the Trust and beyond. 

“This has increased the amount of ‘IT support’ needed and we need to ensure a sustainable solution for the future. We have worked hard to create a partnership, with Delt, to provide the capacity and expertise to be able to support the Trust now and into the future”.  

Since its formation, Delt has continued to strive to be a regional leader within workplace mental wellbeing. From signing-up to the Wellbeing Charter, providing Mental Health First Aid Training, having an accessible EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) running 24/7, offering monthly Mental Health focused seminars in partnership with DevonMind and gaining regular staff feedback on what more could be done to support the wellbeing of all staff.  

DPT and Delt are aligned in their values and commitment to good mental health and wellbeing. It is this mutual passion and understanding that has formed the basis of this partnership. Delt will now supply IT services to the DPT’s 3,600 users across clinical and administrative roles. The two organisations will work collaboratively to deliver the digital transformation strategy, providing patients with exceptional care and service.  

Giles Letheren, Delt’s CEO said; “At Delt, we are truly passionate about supporting front-line staff to deliver a quality service to their customers. Our focus always has been and always will be helping clinicians to be up and running swiftly and efficiently so that they can meet the needs of their patients.” 

Giles added; “Our service has never been driven by closing tickets as quickly as possible. Instead, we work closely with our customers to properly understand their problems, fix them and implement a sustainable solution. We genuinely believe in our mission of Helping People Do Amazing Things and through this partnership with DPT we can continue to support key workers who provide crucial services to our communities.” 

GPintheCloud is a brand-new cloud-based system that allows GPs to access key systems and software remotely and from any compatible device.  

Before the launch of GPintheCloud, GPs would need to carry an NHS issued device to access patient data and clinical operating systems. For many, this meant carrying multiple devices or only being able to serve a patient when in a GP practice using a desktop computer.  

GPintheCloud is the brainchild of Delt Shared Services and INTEGY. Working collaboratively with the Devon NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, the three teams set out to tackle both the shortage of GPs and the potential for practice staff to suddenly have to work from home. Both issues were being exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic and urgently needed a sustainable solution.  

Delt and INTEGY created the GPintheCloud service to allow clinical staff to work from anywhere. Should a practice have to close, or a member of staff has to self-isolate due to Covid, the service can continue operating remotely. GPs, even locums from out of region, can serve patients from their own homes, using their own laptops. Gone are the days of needing to access and log into a desktop PC within a surgery.  

GPintheCloud is a secure virtual desktop that allows clinicians to access their GP ‘window’ from anywhere. The solution has so far delivered 8,000 extra clinical hours, since launch, with GP practices being able to utilise Locum GPs from outside the region and keep practice staff in work during periods of illness or closure. 

As the service continues to be rolled out, additional use-cases have been identified and are currently in trial. This includes Pharmacists being able to use the GPintheCloud service to access specific patient data negating the need to make follow up phone calls with GPs and the patient.  

Additionally Medical Examiners, who write and issue Death Certificates, can use the service to review the patient medical history without the need to individually request access to historical medical files and GP notes.  

Since the launch of GPintheCloud more than 200 GPs, across England are utilising the service to significantly improve the clinical care offering across the region.  

To find out more about GPintheCloud please visit www.gpinthecloud.com. 

Delt Shared Services sign new agreement with Electrotek Solutions

For over 5 years, Delt Shared Services have worked with Electrotek Solutions, an IT WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling company, to manage the disposal of the IT equipment used across the business and by our customers. We are pleased to announce that we have renewed this agreement and will continue to work together until 2025.  

Electrotek are experts in their methods of recycling and employ a zero to landfill policy throughout the Southwest. Unfortunately, in the fast-paced world of IT, equipment can reach the end of its life relatively quickly. This is where Electrotek step in and refurbish a proportion of the assets to allow them to be repopulated into the local community. The remaining assets are then broken down into metals, glass & plastics for recycling. 

By working with Electrotek, Delt have made sure that over 1,000 devices or 3.8 tonnes of WEEE Waste, are to be reused for its original purpose and ensured the responsible recycling of the remaining 7 tonnes of WEEE Waste. This has resulted in a total CO2 saving of 10.46 tonnes. 

Additionally, the partnership between Delt and Electrotek has made a positive contribution to the community in the value of £21,075 (financial and equipment donations) and has supported local charities in need such as The Shekinah Mission and Sanctuary Supported Living’s Plymouth Domestic Abuse Services (PDAS). 

Giles Letheren, CEO at Delt Shared Services said, “We’re committed, here at Delt, to exceeding the ‘greening government’ commitments and more sustainable operations and we’re delighted that our renewed partnership with Electrotek is helping to make this happen.” 

Photo by Electrotek Solutions – a member of Delt staff handing over refurbished equipment to Sanctuary Supported Living’s Plymouth Domestic Abuse Services (PDAS) in 2021.