Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trusts have awarded 10-year EPR contracts to Altera Digital Health, to replace multiple siloed legacy systems.
Noting the EPR implementation as a “huge programme of work”, the director for informatics for both involved trusts, Peter Nuttall, highlighted the benefits of a strong digital foundation for future care delivery and innovation, adding: “It’s a defining moment for both organisations, which is why we’re excited to get underway and provide clinical teams with up-to-date patient information at their fingertips so they can deliver quality care.”
The EPR is said to allow staff to view and update patient records at the point of care, with ambitions to improve accuracy of data and patient safety. Clinicians will also benefit from clinical decision tools, and the ability to gather essential data from one location, aiming to save time and prevent duplication, the announcement notes.
Mark Hutchinson, executive vice president at Altera Digital Health, added: “Partnering with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust on these important programmes reflects our shared commitment to delivering safer, more connected care through a modern, clinically led EPR across Greater Manchester.”
Wider trend: Electronic patient records
With the help of a panel of experts from across the health sector, HTN recently took a deep dive into EPRs, looking at approaches to implementation, lessons learned, challenges, and future directions. Panellists included Ian Mackenzie, CIO at Surrey and Borders Partnership; Ciara Moore, EPR operations director at Bath, Salisbury and Great Western Group; Keltie Jamieson, CIO at Bermuda Hospitals Board; and Michael Hardman, practice lead for software development at Aire Logic.
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has extended its contract with Meditech to support the continuity of its core clinical information system whilst undergoing a procurement for a new EPR solution. The £2.8 million contract is set to run from 19 March 2026 to 18 March 2028, with the option to extend to 18 March 2030 to accommodate procurement activity. The trust plans to utilise the contract term to prepare, tender, and implement a new solution, working toward strategic convergence of core clinical information systems in accordance with NHS long-term strategy.
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has launched the SystmOne EPR, joining around half of local GP practices using SystmOne and East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust. Chief medical officer Oliver Dale spoke of seeing early evidence of positive feedback and improvements, noting: “Change can be difficult, and with a change of this size we had anticipated that there would be challenges. In the first few weeks we have seen issues with staff being able to access and use the system, which we know has been frustrating and disruptive. However, with significant effort and focus from colleagues and teams across the trust we are now in a much better position and staff are starting to get into the rhythm of using the new system.”
