A SENIOR Harlow Conservative councillor has also expressed concerns over the vast numbers of appointments cancelled at Princess Alexandra Hospital as they installed a number electronic record system (Alex Health).

Cllr Joel Charles, who represents Old Harlow Ward, said: “Introducing new digital technology to transform patient services, with the appropriate safeguards, should be implemented with the greatest amount of care. Trust in the advantages of such technology to enable better care in the NHS will quickly be lost if not.

“Nobody in the town wants the executive team or frontline medical professionals working at the Princess Alexandra Hospital to fail, but the decision to commence the introduction of a major system change at an annually critical time may have placed avoidable pressure on the local delivery of acute care. The hospital comes under significant pressure during the coldest months, so starting such a lengthy and complex process in the summer might have provided the best window to address initial issues arising from the introduction of technology that marks an important departure from the old way of working. This fundamental change in approach was never going to happen overnight.

“The local Patient Panel must be given full sight of the plan to address the impact of thousands of appointments cancelled and what steps will be taken in the coming months to reduce the backlog. I hope that members of the Patient Panel are involved in an effort to learn lessons. That work should be shared with all patients to restore trust and show appropriate action has been taken to prevent issues, like a mass cancellation of appointments, from occurring when entire processes are being changed.”

Your Harlow has contacted the Patient Panel. They have yet to reply.