https://club.hcqc.co.uk/c/self-audits/edit-lesson/sections/517639/lessons/2442532
In today’s digital-first NHS, general practices rely heavily on technology — for everything from accessing patient records to prescribing and communicating with colleagues. But what happens when the system goes down?
IT outages, power cuts, supplier errors, or even cyber incidents can leave practices without access to the tools they depend on. And yet, inspections show that many practices don’t feel fully confident in how they’d respond — or haven’t tested their downtime plans in a meaningful way.
This week’s audit supports you to explore this exact area: how well you’re prepared to keep people safe and care flowing when the systems stop working.
Not Just a Tech Issue — A Patient Safety One
When digital tools go offline, the impact can be significant:
- Clinicians may lose access to allergy records or medication history
- Appointments and referrals may be delayed or miscommunicated
- Emergency prescribing may need to be done manually
- Messages and patient queries may be lost
Without clear, practiced protocols, the risk of errors or missed care rises quickly. That’s why the Care Quality Commission (CQC) now expects practices to demonstrate robust, up-to-date continuity planning.
✅ What This Audit Helps You Do
This audit helps you:
- Check that a business continuity plan exists and is accessible
- Review how downtime procedures are communicated and tested
- Evaluate how confident staff feel in managing during system failure
- Reflect on how clinical safety and patient experience are safeguarded when systems go down
It’s not just about having a plan — it’s about ensuring everyone knows what to do, and has practiced doing it.
Linked to CQC’s ‘We’ Statements and Regulations
This audit aligns with the following key CQC ‘We’ Statements:
- Safe systems, pathways and transitions (Safe)
- Governance, management and sustainability (Well-led)
- Learning, improvement and innovation (Well-led)
And supports compliance with regulations including:
- Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment
- Regulation 17: Good governance
- Regulation 18: Staffing
Moving from Hoping to Knowing
Whether this audit confirms you’re already well-prepared — or highlights areas for improvement — the goal is the same: moving from hoping you could manage a digital failure, to knowing that you can.
Because good governance isn’t just about policy. It’s about shared understanding, confidence in a crisis, and the systems that quietly keep everything running, even when the lights go out.
