Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has announced plans to implement the Yorkshire and Humber Care Record (YHCR), connecting records from hospitals, GPs, mental health services and social care providers in the region.
The YHCR, which is powered by Interweave, is being deployed via the South Yorkshire Shared Care Record (SYSCR) programme, which is part of NHS England’s wider national Connecting Care Records (ConCR) initiative – due to be completed by March 2025.
Mike Whiteside, chief clinical information officer at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: “For colleagues, this means easier access to key patient details, fewer delays in retrieving information and better coordination between teams.
“With a complete view of a patient’s history, we can reduce duplication, streamline discharge planning and provide safer, more personalised care.”
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals has established a communications plan to help roll out the new platform across teams and departments.
Only nominated doctors, nurses and allied health professionals will receive access and will be able to log into the new shared care record via their existing clinical portal where they will be able to see a menu link to the shared care record, the trust said.
“Patients do not need to take any action, but they have the option to object to inclusion if they wish,” added Whiteside.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has also added additional information into the YHCR, including inpatient discharge summaries, outpatient clinic letters and emergency department discharge summaries, to improve its usefulness.
There are currently 13 local NHS organisations and local authorities involved in advancing the SYSCR programme in South Yorkshire and Humber, covering Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.
GP practices in Humber and North Yorkshire received access to the regional shared care record through EMIS in September 2024.
The YHCR is also used by local authorities including Sheffield City Council and specialist care providers such as Scarborough-based hospice Saint Catherine’s, which uses the care record to check patients’ history, allergies, medications and end-of-life care wishes.
Meanwhile, in August 2024, Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust announced that it had signed a three-year contract with Accurx for a patient communication platform to replace its paper-based processes with digital ways of operating.
The system went live on 1 June 2024 at the trust, which provides integrated healthcare services across Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, Whitby, Scarborough, and Ryedale.