At the recent Primary Care Manchester event, we were proud to support Patrick Denston, Practice Business Manager at Alexander House Surgery and Digital Transformation Manager at Farnborough PCN, as he shared an inspiring and practical perspective on digital transformation in general practice.
Introduced by Dr Richard More, Xytal Chief Executive, the session cut through the noise around digital change to get to the heart of what really matters: understanding your purpose, asking the right questions, and enjoying the journey of transformation.
Rather than being led by technology, Patrick emphasised the importance of working collaboratively, making intentional decisions, and focusing on continuous, incremental improvements. With support from Xytal facilitators through the GPIP programme, Alexander House Surgery was able to achieve measurable, meaningful change:
🔹 7% reduction in phone calls overnight
🔹 20% drop in manual prescription requests
🔹 8% further increase in NHS app uptake – now at 78% usage
🔹 Reduction in email actions and admin workload
🔹 Improved call wait times and patient satisfaction
“We are not going to fix the NHS in a day but we can fix parts of it. We can do little bits.”
Patrick also highlighted the importance of getting the right people in the room, listening to frontline feedback, and acting on it with intent. What might seem like ‘tweaks’ often lead to hours saved, better patient experience, and a happier, more proactive team.
His closing message was simple yet resonant: make time for change, and make that time count.
His story was a clear reminder that the most effective transformation is done with people, not to them, and that investing time in the right conversations is essential for creating space to lead.
If you’d like to explore how Xytal can support your practice or PCN on a similar journey, we would love to hear from you.
