NHS75 - Paul Meredith shares his story

To celebrate the 75 anniversary of the NHS, we will be sharing stories from a range of employees and professions across Digital Health and Care Wales. Today we hear from Paul Meredith, a Senior Business Analyst at DHCW.

Tell us a little about your job role

I work on the technical background to the IT system that records and manages patient interactions and treatments in a variety of care settings from hospitals to community clinics. It’s called the Welsh Patient Administration System (WPAS) , and it’s the glue that holds together all the IT and information systems that interact across our hospitals and other care settings. It’s the system managing information around your appointments, treatments and waiting lists.

In my role I’m working with teams who are planning the development and necessary changes to the WPAS as healthcare organisations change and evolve. I advise on activities such as ways of working, software changes and system configurations.

What do you enjoy about your job role?

For the last 13 years I’ve been working with the WPAS ‘on the ground’ in hospitals in an operational role, and now I get to play a part in shaping and influencing the design and deliver of the system going forward.

I’ve seen how things work on the operational side, now I get to apply my knowledge and experience to the design and planning of an integral IT system for NHS Wales.

How did you join your profession?

I started in this profession in a health records library 28 years ago. Everything was paper based back then. We had computers, but they were a recent addition, and only for clinical letters. We also had a very basic Patient Administration System (PAS) . Mostly we were dealing with lots of paper, and an index card reference system.  In those days departments were paper based, and relied on internal and external mail. There was no way for external systems to connect in.

I’ve seen the evolution of PAS over time, with it being developed and taken on board within different health boards, and then leading to a national PAS, so it’s now possible to see an overarching view within all the health boards in Wales. So if a patient’s been treated in one part of Wales, healthcare professionals in a different part of Wales can easily see those details, and provide the best possible care to the patient.  

Developments like this are making a real difference to healthcare, and I feel privileged to learn, develop and share my knowledge and experience in this area, and help to improve healthcare.

How long have you been part of the NHS?

28 years

What does the NHS mean to you?

The NHS has provided me with stable employment and given me the means to progress by working as part of a bigger network. I’ve been a part of the evolution of IT and information within healthcare. I’ve seen big strides taken, and I’m enjoying being a part of the future of digital in healthcare.