UHDB patients in Staffordshire to benefit from new care record system
A new digital care record system is set to benefit UHDB patients across Staffordshire by making important information relating to their care more accessible to those who are treating them.
‘One Health and Care’ is a completely confidential and secure care record for individuals registered at GPs in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent that brings data together from different local organisations involved in health and social care.
The integrated system goes live in August 2020 and is designed to help doctors, nurses and other registered health and social care professionals directly involved in patients’ care to make better, safer decisions, by having relevant health information available for staff to access.
Duncan Bedford, Executive Managing Director for Burton at UHDB, said: “Keeping our colleagues informed of important patient information is essential to enhancing the level of care we’re able to provide.
“Whether it’s informing staff of any allergies a patient might have, or any medication that they might be on, having a patient’s medical history available to those who are treating them will allow our staff to make the right decisions in their care, so we’re extremely pleased to have this information readily available through One Health and Care.”
Information will include:
- A patient’s name, date of birth, sex, address, telephone number and NHS number
- The name of their GP practice and GP
- Any medications they’re on, allergies they have, any ongoing and historic conditions, immunisations, and diagnoses
- Test results, hospital referrals, admissions, discharges and clinics attended
- Social and mental health information and care plans
Sensitive information, such as attendance at sexual health clinics, fertility treatment records, and records relating to gender reassignment will not be made available via the integrated care record.
All information will be held securely and will only be shared with the specific staff members in the different partnership organisations who are directly involved in that patient’s care and support.
Patients don’t need to do anything if they are happy for the above information to be shared, although they will need to contact their GP practice, should they wish to opt out of this.
Dr Paddy Hannigan is a GP and the Clinical Lead for the digital workstream of Together We’re Better, the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent – which is working to transform local health and care services.
He said: “This is a hugely welcome development and will bring advantages in a wide range of areas. If you are rushed into hospital and have difficulty communicating, hospital staff will quickly be able to tell if you have any known medical conditions, which medicines you need to take regularly, and whether you have any allergies.”
Dr Hannigan added: “This will really help improve decision making to give patients safer, more consistent care whether they are in hospital, at a GP Practice or any other place where they receive care.
“It will help tackle the endless frustration that patients and families express when they have to repeat their medical and social care history to different professionals because they don’t have access to the same information.”
UHDB staff at Queen’s Hospital Burton, Samuel Johnson and Sir Robert Peel Community Hospitals, will be able to access One Health and Care, along with all GP practices within Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
- University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
- Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
- Staffordshire County Council (Social Care)
- Stoke-on-Trent City Council (Social Care)
- Continuing Healthcare Services
- West Midlands Ambulance Service
Anyone with any concerns, or who wants to know more information, can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 0800 030 456 or by emailing onehealthandcare@nhs.net
You can find out more information here.