Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent introduce digital integrated record

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have gone live with an integrated care system which is powered by Graphnet.

Known locally as One Health and Care, the digital system is using Graphnet’s CareCentric technology to consolidate information from the region’s care organisations so people won’t need to repeat their health and social care history as often and practitioners will be better able to co-ordinate their care and support.

As well as demographics, allergies, test results and prescriptions, the care record also includes NHS number; GP practice and GP; ongoing and historic conditions; immunisation;, diagnoses; hospital referrals; admissions; discharges and clinics attended; and social and mental health information.

Dr Paddy Hannigan, senior responsible officer for Together We’re Better’s digital programme, said: “Having an integrated care record available for our patients is about safety first and foremost, but it will also help tackle the immense frustration that we know patients sometimes feel at having to repeat themselves to every member of the health and care workforce they encounter.

“Because clinicians have access to up-to-date medications and allergy information direct from the GP system, patient safety is being improved and they can make more informed decisions by seeing recent visits, requested tests and prescriptions issued.”

Future developments of the care record include a patient health record to allow patients wider access to their information and self-management of their own health and care, population health management and wider regional health and care record sharing to ensure a resident’s patient record will accompany them if they receive care and support across boundaries into neighbouring areas.

Brian Waters, chief executive of Graphnet, added: “Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have done very well to roll out a large-scale regional sharing deployment during a challenging period.  We are committed to supporting them further and we’re looking forward to developing the care record to full maturity with the introduction of a patient health record and population health platform.”

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are not the only ones to select Graphnet. In January 2021, Swindon and Wiltshire selected Graphnet to deliver a integrated care record using the supplier’s CareCentric software.

The project will bring together health and care records from 94 general practices, Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust; Wiltshire Health & Care, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust; Swindon Borough Council; Wiltshire Council, Bath and North East Somerset Council; Medvivo; Virgin Care and Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.