UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid has revealed plans for an accelerated rollout of electronic patient records (EPRs) in the NHS. The aim is for 90% of NHS Trusts to have implemented the use of EPRs by the end of 2023.
Javid announced the proposals in a speech at the HSJ Digital Transformation Summit, where he stated that current estimates indicate that one in five NHS trusts still do not have the electronic patient records that are “the essential prerequisite for a modern, digital NHS”.
The 90% take-up target is the main focus, but Javid also wants the remaining 10% of trusts to be in the process of implementing them by the end of next year.
The health secretary also highlighted a need for digital transformation of the social care sector, saying that around 40% of social care providers are still using a system of “paper-based records”.
Prior to this, the UK government had announced an investment of £150m to improve digitisation in social care, coupled with a target for 80% of social care providers to be using digital social care records by March 2024.
Javid’s announcement comes in light of the government’s plans to merge NHSX and NHS Digital into NHS England as part of a larger restructuring of the UK’s digital health system.
The review of the NHS’ digital strategy was led by former chief executive of Tesco’s online division, Laura Wade-Gery, who added that structural changes were necessary to put digital transformation at the core of the NHS.
Part of the plans for digital personalisation will be promoting greater use of the NHS app, which is already being used by approximately half of all adults in England.
Javid explained: “We need to show people that the app is for life, not just for COVID-19 and that it will be a future front door for interacting with the NHS.”
There are further plans for the NHS app to allow direct communication with healthcare professionals, which would create a pathway for receiving personalised advice on health and estimates of waiting times. The app will also serve as a filing system for test results and documents.
It is expected that other digital initiatives will include a greater implementation of remote monitoring of patients, allowing them to be cared for safely in their own homes.
Javid said that he had received a copy of the Goldacre Report, led by researcher, physician and clinical data transparency campaigner Dr Ben Goldacre and that this report would be published soon.