TPP signs MIG contract

Healthcare Gateway has signed a contract with TPP to share SystmOne data via its Medical Interoperability Gateway.

Today’s news follows an announcement three weeks ago that the companies had failed to agree terms for the data-sharing arrangement and that a London pilot of the integration had been axed.

The new five-year deal will enable GPs across the UK using Emis, INPS and TPP systems to securely share patient data in real time with each other and the rest of the NHS, including other community providers and secondary and urgent care clinicians.

The pilot in West London, which enables data-sharing between urgent care centres using Adastra and GP practices using the three major GP systems, will now progress to the next stage.

Healthcare Gateway managing director Peter Anderson described the new contract as “historic”.

“For the first time ever, all three major GP system suppliers are now in a position to deliver secure data sharing throughout the UK,” he said.

“Clinicians will have the technology at their fingertips to access vital information from patients’ cradle-to-grave GP records, helping them to drive up standards and deliver safer, more efficient care for millions of patients.”

His comments contrast with a statement made at the end of July, when it looked as if the integration would not go ahead.

Then, Anderson said that Healthcare Gateway was “deeply concerned” about TPP’s apparent lack of commitment to the data-sharing initiative.

TPP responded saying it believed it was still in talks regarding the terms of agreement for joining the MIG and that it remained fully committed to the project.

TPP also revealed that Emis, which jointly owns Healthcare Gateway with INPS, had called off a direct data-sharing agreement between Emis and TPP, saying it preferred all integration to be processed through the MIG.

EHI understands this situation remains unchanged. TPP’s clinical director, Dr John Parry, said today that TPP understands the importance of sharing data between all care settings.

“The signing of the MIG contract marks a logical extension of this,” he said.

“The ideal of ‘one patient, one record’ can increasingly be realised by information sharing between the three major GP system suppliers and will now include the extensive community, child health, OOH, palliative care and secondary care data within SystmOne.

“This is one of many current initiatives working toward the wholesale integration of the NHS,” Dr Parry said.