The NHS is launching a single patient record, so patients no longer have to repeatedly explain their medical history to GPs and hospital staff.
Government modelling suggests a single record – which has been an ambition of the NHS for decades – will mean 20,000 fewer visits to A&E, due to fewer errors and cases where patients are misdiagnosed. Now GPs will be legally required to share all patient data on to the record in reforms of the NHS in England as part of legislation to get its second reading in the House of Commons today.
The NHS Modernisation Bill will also confirm the abolition of NHS England as an arm’s length body, as the government takes direct control of the health service.
View 3 ImagesPatients typically have to repeat their health history at different NHS appointments(Image: Getty Images)
Dr Alec Price-Forbes, chief clinical information officer at NHS England, said: “For too long, patient information has been held in silos, leading to patients having to repeat their stories, and creating workarounds, potential duplication or gaps in understanding for clinicians.
“The single patient record will give us an invaluable single point of truth for both the clinician and the patient and means higher quality, safer, more joined-up and more personalised care for patients.”
The £10billion digitisation of the NHS has been dubbed a “game changer” by ministers that aims to spare patients from having to repeat their medical history when turning up at hospital or returning to their GP. Although some emergency patient information is supposed to be already available to all medics – such as current medicines and known allergies – hospitals cannot access the full medical history of a patient. GPs have to wait for letters, sent by email, from consultants to learn what happened to their patient in hospital.
Health Secretary James Murray said: “When I was in my 20s, I was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition. I am now symptom-free and I get fantastic support from the NHS. But I know how much effort it can be to keep different parts of the health service joined up, and how distressing it is for some patients to repeat their medical history over and over. That’s why our single patient record is so important.
“My priority as Health Secretary is to modernise the NHS and make it work better for patients… making the NHS fit for the future by building it around patients’ lives, not the other way round.”
View 3 ImagesPregnant women are currently required to go through their entire medical history in a first appointment with a midwife, relying on memory. This can result in gaps in information and can be distressing for those who have suffered baby loss.(Image: SHARED CONTENT UNIT)
The single patient record will be rolled out to clinicians from next year with patients eventually able to access their entire medical history via the NHS App and is intended to give patients more control over their care. Along with virtual care, the single patient record is expected to reduce A&E attendances for frail patients by around 10,000 due to better community care, and another 10,000 from fewer misdiagnoses.
The government also estimated it will mean 6,000 fewer people being admitted to hospital each year due to better management of conditions such as heart failure and more coordinated mental health care. It is aimed at managing conditions more at home or in local clinics
Its modelling suggests it could save doctors about 500,000 hours a year by reducing time spent searching for information and inputting data. Ministers insist there will be safeguards around data security and audit trails.
Dr David Wrigley, deputy chair of the British Medical Association’s GP committee, said: “While the idea of a single patient record may sound appealing to patients, GPs as the long-time and dedicated custodians of patient data, have some real concerns around what it means for security and confidentiality.
“GPs have protected patients’ confidential records since the inception of the NHS in 1948 – a legal duty that they take incredibly seriously. We need clarity that this important GP oversight will not be taken away otherwise it will raise serious questions about who is safeguarding patients’ data. We must make sure that this law does not open up possibilities for patient data to be used inappropriately for purposes that patients would not reasonably expect.”
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The legislation will also create the first virtual NHS trust which hosts online consultations between patients and clinicians across the country. NHS Online will run from 2027 and deliver up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years which the government said is four times more than an average hospital trust.