Coventry and Warwickshire to roll out integrated care records

Health records in Coventry and Warwickshire are set to be available electronically as the area introduces integrated care records.

The move will enable doctors in hospitals or paramedics attending 999 calls to access the same vital information as a GP, including allergies and current medications.

It aims to improve the level of care offered and could have potentially life-saving benefits.

Dr Alec Price-Forbes, chief clinical information officer for Coventry and Warwickshire Health and Care Partnership, said: “Our patients have consistently told us that they want their health and care records to be available to the professionals who care for them, wherever they are seen.

“This means they only need to share their story once, so that the right information is available to enable well informed care decisions to be made, based on their individual needs.”

He said connecting information held by different providers would “improve the quality, and outcomes for those being cared for” across the area.

“This is the first exciting step towards delivering the technology to enable more integrated care across our region, with the long-term aim of improving the health and well-being of our whole community,” he added.

Currently patient information is fragmented across different organisations and providers.

Through the roll-out of the integrated care records practitioners will have access to a comprehensive and up-to-date record for their patients’ medical and care needs, making care safer and reducing duplication.

It will prevent patients being asked for information repeatedly and ensure their care preferences are shared and understood by all those caring for them.

Dr Deepika Yadav, clinical director for integrated care at Coventry and Rugby Clinical Commissioning, said: “This is about patient safety first-and-foremost. In an emergency it is important that the clinician knows as much about you as possible to make the right decisions about how to treat you.

“But we also hear many times of patients who are frustrated because they need to repeatedly give the same information to people from different parts of the NHS and social care, and delays caused by records not being easily accessible.

“We have worked hard to create care which is better co-ordinated across Coventry and Warwickshire. This shared care record will support new models of care which form part of the delivery of integrated health and social care services that are central to the NHS Long Term Plan.”

The Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Record programme will be rolled out during Autumn 2020.