THE NHS trust which runs Basingstoke Hospital has been named as one of just 18 trusts nationwide invited to join a prestigious NHS England programme.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been selected as part of the second wave of the NHS England digitisation programme, securing £5m in funding for digital projects.

To be considered for the programme, trusts had to show that they were digitally ready, with a proven history of technology transformation, and performing financially and clinically.

Tim Cropley, chief information officer at the trust, said: “We are really pleased to have been chosen to join this programme and have started formulating many exciting ideas to build on our digital aspirations.”

“Hampshire Hospitals is proud to be recognised as a leading trust that has the capability to harness the power of technology. Only around 20 per cent of trusts are on the programme and being chosen to take part shows that we are a performing trust, not only in terms of digital readiness, but in terms of our financial and clinical performance.”

Hampshire Hospitals will work with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which was a member of the first wave of the programme and has begun its digitisation programme, to drive innovation across the area.