Improved access to London Care Record sees it used over 30 million times

The London Care Record has been used over 30 million times by frontline health and care staff, according to OneLondon, aided by recent improvements to access.

In a bid to provide faster, safer and more effective care across the capital, the record was viewed well over a million times every month, by around 75,000 health and care professionals.

A number of recent developments have helped fuel this growth in access to the record, which have increased both access to it and the richness of the information it contains.

A number of health and care settings – including University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – are sharing key information through the London Care Record. As well, the first care homes in the region are able to view the record, helping them to deliver more effective care for residents.

In addition, both London Ambulance Service and London Air Ambulance Service patient information is being sent in real-time to the London Care Record in order to support the handover process and improve continuity of care.

Patients with heart conditions who are monitored remotely through the Ortus-iHealth systems are also now able to share key information securely to the record. Plus Universal Care Plans are able to be viewed through it, helping ensure people’s care and support wishes are respected.

Dr Sanjay Gautama, clinical informatics lead for London, consultant anaesthetist, chief clinical information officer, and Caldicott guardian for Imperial College Healthcare Trust NHS, said: “Working in a busy NHS trust I see firsthand the positive difference the London Care Record is making.

“It allows me to have a more informed conversation with my patients, providing them with assurance but also significantly increasing the clinical safety through having the right information in the right place at the right time.”

Accessing the London Care Record ensures healthcare staff have all the information they need about a patient, when they need it, to help support their clinical decision-making.

It is a single and secure view of a person’s health and care information, with the information detailed including test results, medicines, allergies and hospital discharge summaries.

Sally Wiltshire, OneLondon senior programme manager, said: “We have plans to build on this over the years ahead by extending London-wide data sharing across the capital’s health and care organisations and making sure more staff can access this vital tool.

“This will help to further increase the richness, clinical value and accessibility of the London Care Record and support even more frontline staff provide effective care.”

Future plans for the record also include ensuring frontline NHS and social care are able to access the record, as well as including more mobile ways for it to be viewed so that professionals like community nurses and ambulance teams can access vital information on the move.