NHS Bury reaches Lorenzo anniversary

NHS Bury has yet to sign off the deployment verification certification for the implementation of Lorenzo Release 1.9 – a year after going live with the iSoft electronic patient record system.

The DVC confirms the system has met a series of detailed key measures agreed by NHS Connecting for Health and local service provider CSC as part of the National Programme for IT in the NHS contract.

The PCT, which was the first in England to go live with the latest release of the software last November, has struggled with the system since its implementation.

Recent trust board papers indicate that it is still struggling with “on-going functionality issues with Lorenzo Regional Care in respect of data reporting.”

A report to the board adds: “A number of reports have been released to the Information Department and they are currently working to validate and quality assure the data.”

Ann Halpin, associate director of IM&T at NHS Bury, told E-Health Insider: “We are now able to obtain a number of reports from Lorenzo and are working to increase the range of reports available over the coming months.

"Although this area of the system is progressing, reporting forms part of the Deployment Verification Criteria and this element has not yet been signed off.’

“Since Lorenzo was deployed in Bury, staff have been using the system to manage referrals, clinics and patient contacts.

"As is to be expected with any early adopter deployment, there have been initial difficulties with the system. CSC are continuing to work closely with us to resolve outstanding issues for Bury and further improve Lorenzo."

University Hospitals of Morecambe NHS Foundation Trust, which went live at the end of May, and Birmingham Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which went live earlier this week, are also yet to sign of their DVPs.

EHI understands that these three sites and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust all need to go-live with Lorenzo Release 1.9 and sign off their DVCs before CSC can receive milestone payments under NPfIT.

Link: NHS Bury board document on Lorenzo: Agenda Item 5.1_b_ – Best Value Sub-Committee Mins. 27.7.10 _Part 1_.doc