NHS Bolton and the Royal Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have started the implementation of a digital dictation system from G2 Speech, having awarded the company a contract at the end of November 2010.
The hospital trust went live with the system in oral surgery and ear nose and throat last week.
The deal was put in place to speed up the production and distribution of clinical correspondence at the trust, where fewer than 70% of outpatient letters are sent out within five days.
The deal between the company, the PCT provider arm and the hospital trust will eventually see 400 licences distributed.
Clinicians will then be able to dictate their notes and have them sent – along with patient, hospital and GP data – to secretaries for completion.
Clinicians will also be able to electronically review and approve their notes, which can take just two or three minutes.
Ann Schenk, director of strategy and improvement at Royal Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The procurement of a digital dictation platform from G2 Speech will allow full visibility and management of dictation and transcription from one common user interface.
“We have high priority placed on the timely production and dispatch of clinical correspondence and will be looking to move towards achieving a 24 hour turnaround of clinical correspondence.”
Henry Gallagher, managing director, G2 Speech, said: “We understand that Royal Bolton NHS Foundation Trust is not simply looking to implement dictation technology, but to obtain a technology partner that can ensure a long term strategy for improving processes within the trust.”
The trust wants to move all areas that currently use analogue dictation, including non clinical areas, to digital dictation by April 2011.