Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question? We may well have the answer right here. We’ve been collating common questions from stakeholders across the programme and hope that the following may prove helpful.
Have a look, and don’t worry, if there is a question you have and we haven’t got the answer here, please just get in touch.
What is the Scan for Safety?
NHSScotland Scan for Safety is a national programme funded by the Scottish Government to implement the scanning of high-risk implantable devices using barcode scanning technology alongside the adoption of national standards for the data being captured. It will improve patient safety via data capture at the point of care, helping to accelerate the traceability of class III and IIb medical devices.
Why is the Programme needed?
All four UK nations are investing in Scan for Safety roll out across NHS boards and trusts. The patient safety benefits are a key driver, as well as the other transformational benefits Scan for Safety offers to boards.
In addition, by July 2025, updated UK Medical Device Regulations will place a legal responsibility on all NHS Scotland boards to store Unique Device Identification (UDI) data for class III and IIb devices. The NHSScotland Scan for Safety programme will be a key means to support boards in ensuring compliance with the upcoming legislation.
How will Scan for Safety impact health boards?
In advance of implementation, each health board will be asked to identify and establish a local team, led by a Project Manager, who will work with the central Programme team to rollout the scanning technology in the identified specialties within the board area. Following this, health boards will be expected to drive further rollout activity across other specialties within their board area. This will help maximise the benefits of using the system.
What benefits will be delivered as result of Scan for Safety?
Some of the earliest benefits are focused on efficiencies. Scanning of data and the accuracy of the data captured is releasing time back for those using the system. Following rollout of the Scan for Safety technology in each health board there will be a range of benefits which health boards will receive in areas of Patient Safety, Clinical Productivity and Operational Efficiency.
How is Scan for Safety funded and what costs will be met centrally?
The programme is funded by the Scottish Government who will provide funding to cover:
· Implementation costs and agreed interfaces with existing systems
· Handsets to be used for scanning in theatres
· System licence costs up to September 2026 (discussions ongoing regarding licence funding after this date)
The central Programme team will also be funded by the Scottish Government, which will help ensure that learning from initial implementations can be adopted in future implementations across health boards. This approach is more efficient and cost effective than each Health Board having to set up their own programme team.
What will be expected of health boards after the programme closes?
The programme is due to close in March 2026 when all health boards will have implemented scanning technology across at least one specialty in their area. To support this, a Target Operating Model is being developed to support boards and departments in the future in implementing the environment to support Scan for Safety after the programme has ended.
The expectation of health boards after this date is that further rollout activity will take place in other specialties in order that 100% of medical devices can be electronically traced, should the need arise.