Getting started with cloud adoption for NHS trusts

Cloud adoption is strategically important for the NHS to enhance availability, agility, resilience and reduce IT burden. Leading healthcare providers world-wide, leverage cloud to optimise services and rapidly respond to emerging demands.

Following best practices for migration, governance and change management enables smooth transition from legacy IT. Cloud offers superior resilience and scalability over aging on-premises data centres. It allows focusing resources on frontline innovation rather than infrastructure maintenance. Transition requires phased change management focused on clear goals.

Start small, but a Cloud Centre of Excellence (CCoE) should establish landing zones and guardrails before migrations to accelerate adoption securely. A CCoE drives consistency, compliance, and skills development.

Cloud also significantly improves cybersecurity versus legacy IT by automating controls at scale. However, organisations retain shared responsibility per cloud provider policies. Cloud requires updated security strategies and skills while different service models offer trade-offs between control and overhead - IaaS, PaaS and SaaS. Choosing appropriately based on use cases and maturity is key.

Beginning with small, low-risk projects demonstrates value and builds experience. Addressing specific pain points first where benefits are clearest and engaging staff across levels and providing extensive training is vital, along with nurturing an innovation culture. Ongoing development of sustainable expertise is crucial. Resources like NHS England CCoE, cloud providers and system integrators can accelerate adoption through guidance, training, and execution support. Combining partnerships’ strengths, drives fast, secure transformation.

With proper strategy, governance and partnerships, NHS organisations can migrate applications smoothly while optimising agility, resilience, and staff productivity. Cloud lays the foundation for healthcare's digital future.