EMIS loads first SCRs

IT computer supplier EMIS has uploaded its first Summary Care Records to the Spine, as all six early adopter primary care trusts are going live with the SCR.

West Heath Surgery in NHS South Birmingham began uploading records two weeks ago and has created just over 3,200 SCRs so far, NHS Connecting for Health has confirmed.

The Birmingham practice is the first EMIS site to upload records to the Spine and CfH said the company’s SCR application will receive full roll-out approval once the first of type sites have confirmed that there are no outstanding issues. EMIS is used by almost 60% of practices in England.

iSoft’s Synergy system was the first GP software to receive full roll-out approval and TPP’s SystmOne has also now received full roll-out approval with limited roll-out approval for INPS’s Vision system.

Richard Corbridge, implementation manager for the SCR, told last week’s Assist conference in Birmingham that 288,953 SCRs had been created by 1 June, including 28,219 in South Birmingham, 29,120 in NHS Bradford and 40,173 in NHS Dorset.

CfH confirmed to EHI Primary Care this week that the final early adopter PCT, NHS South West Essex, has also now begun uploading records to the Spine.

Corbridge said that out of 850,000 people sent information regarding a SCR, only 0.73% have so far opted out.

David Nash from CfH told the meeting that five practices from South Birmingham have uploaded records to the Spine so far and it was hoped that 200,000 records would be uploaded in South Birmingham by the autumn.

He said the best ways to prepare for introducing an SCR included the need for a clinical champion, involving the local medical committee and giving them a place on the project board, not promising too much too soon and ensuring that there were dedicated communication resources in place.

Since the Birmingham meeting the number of SCRs created in South Birmingham has risen to just over 30,000 according to CfH.