'Fantastic' digital upgrades to Jersey cancer unit

Mr Kyd said the department has made "so much progress"

Digitalisation of the cancer department at Jersey's main hospital has made it "a lot more efficient", the island's lieutenant governor said.

The Government of Jersey said the digitalisation of cancer care at the Jersey Oncology Department at Jersey General Hospital now included the use of computer health systems such as BookWise and Somerset Cancer Register.

Officials said the digital health systems allowed all specialists to access up-to-date patient records and to communicate more effectively about treatment plans.

Lt Gov Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd said the department had made "so much progress evolving cancer treatment".

Ms Conway said huge savings have already been demonstrated

Oncology unit manager Rachel Conway said the department previously used manual booking systems, which she said were "inefficient and awful for the patients".

She said the new digital booking systems provided patients with additional information, including how long an appointment would take, which was all "a timely, efficient way of booking a patient appointment".

She said the digital systems also enabled staff to communicate with other hospital departments, including the pharmacy.

She said: "For pharmacy, they will now know if the patient treatment is to go ahead and be made."

She said there had been problems sometimes with paper diaries where it was not always clear when medicines had to be dispensed.

She said: "So they [the pharmacy] might have made chemotherapy, which we weren't going to give, which means there is a wasted drug".

'Significant cost savings'

Ms Conway said the department had demonstrated savings of about £45,000 using the new computer systems.

Mr Kyd and his wife Dr Karen Kyd visited the department, which looks after about 400 patients, on Friday.

He said: "Digitalisation of the department is making it a lot more efficient. The cost savings have been significant this year."

He also said the digitalised health systems made it a better experience for both patients and staff.

"Being able to track their patients through their care, I think that's fantastic," he said.