Case Study: Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust achieves GS1-compliant positive patient identification with Dakota Integrated Solutions

Digital Transformation Is Key Focus for Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust

Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust, a major NHS trust serving over 450,000 people, sought to modernize its patient identification process as part of a broader digital transformation. The existing system of using laser printers to produce patient wristbands was error-prone; the printers were prone to jams, and handwritten or label-affixed details were often smudged and illegible. To address this challenge, the trust partnered with vendor Dakota Integrated Solutions.

Dakota Integrated Solutions provided the trust with dedicated, compact wristband printers that use cartridge-loaded bands, completely eliminating paper jams. This solution enabled the printing of a variety of specialized, GS1-compliant 2D barcoded wristbands directly from the patient record. The outcome was a significant increase in patient safety, as clinicians can now instantly and accurately identify patients by scanning their wristbands, leading to faster treatment. As a direct result of implementing Dakota's solution, the trust successfully completed the first phase of its digitalization journey and became fully GS1 compliant for patient identification.

Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust

Martin Sykes

Chief Nursing & AHP Information Officer