Go-live dates have been confirmed for the “joint Devon EPR”, in what has been described as “an ambitious programme to transform care for patients and staff across Devon’s acute hospitals and community sites”.
The One Devon EPR Partnership is made up of three trusts: Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. With Royal Devon having already implemented Epic, University Hospitals Plymouth and Torbay and South Devon’s signing of a contract with the same supplier is said to be “a major step forward in the shared vision to implement a single EPR across Devon”.
According to the group, all three trusts are “working closely with Epic”, with the go-live set for Torbay and South Devon in Spring of 2026, followed shortly after by University Hospitals Plymouth in Summer of 2026. Plans are also in place to introduce additional functionality within the Royal Devon’s system, which will reportedly help “improve the overall system for all three trusts”.
Mr Simeon Brundell, CCIO at University Hospitals Plymouth, spoke of the known challenges relating to “using multiple clinical systems and paper records”, adding that by streamlining digital processes into one programme, the move will “enable staff to focus on decision making supported by accurate and timely information, as well as patient care”.
EPR news from across the NHS
December saw news from the EPR space including Moorfields Eye Hospital’s award of a £16.7 million EPR contract to Meditech via the NHS LPP Clinical Digital Solutions Framework Agreement. The contract will run from 30 October 2024 for an initial period of ten years, with the option to extend for a further five, making the maximum contract length a total of 15 years.
Mid and South Essex Foundation Trust and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust also announced their partnership for a £65 million contract agreement with Oracle Health. According to the trusts, the EPR system is expected to launch in 2026/27, and “will build on current digital investments to create a single patient record system across hospitals, mental health and community services”, supporting commitments to joined-up care.
And HTN was joined by a panel of experts from the health sector to discuss the importance of baselining current position to inform EPR implementation, avoiding common pitfalls, and ensuring workforce buy-in. Panellists talked about the importance of understanding current position as part of building the “case for change”, and the potential for Organisational Readiness Assessments to help identify challenges in approaching EPR implementation.
Don’t for get to join HTN for an upcoming webinar on approaches to optimising and adding value to EPRs, scheduled for 23 April 10:00-11:00. Learn more and register here.
