The board of University Hospitals Dorset has shared a series of updates around its HealthSet EPR programme and wider digital priorities.
With a contract signed in March 2026 with Epic, the HealthSet programme is now underway, with core implementation activity reportedly to begin in late summer 2026, and a “big bang” go-live scheduled for April 2028. Preparation activities have included “lessons learned” engagement with a number of other organisations who have already implemented Epic, and a stakeholder visit to Epic’s UK headquarters in early May 2026.
Workforce planning and resourcing is progressing, the trust states, and a programme partnership board has been established to offer governance and oversight. “Alongside this, work continues to finalise the future Target Operating Model for Digital Services across Dorset,” it continues. “Deputy chief digital officers are in post, and the next level of digital leadership is expected to be in place by the end of the summer 2026.”
UHD highlights clinical and operational risks from its current “unsupported” EPR and from “several critical IT systems that have minimal contract management arrangements in place”. It adds: “IT Systems have historically been positioned as optional resulting in low levels of digital maturity, adoption and uptake and an environment where both paper and digital are prevalent. To resolve the clinical and operational risks associated with this, a strategic decision has been taken to work with the other trusts across Dorset and Somerset to purchase an integrated electronic health record system.”
Elsewhere, the trust offers an insight into current progress on the Dorset Digital Strategy, with development of a delivery roadmap underway, and a time-bound implementation plan scheduled for finalisation in early June 2026. Publishing its Integrated Delivery Plan to 2031, it also highlights plans to focus on improving patient access, and clinical and administrative productivity through redesigned clinical pathways, digital innovation, and proactive patient engagement through 2026/27.
On outpatients, ambitions include empowering patients to actively manage their health use digital tools such as virtual consultations, patient portals, and remote monitoring; and reducing unnecessary face-to-face attendances where digital alternatives are “clinically appropriate”.
Also shared are details of the trust’s efficiency improvement programme, with an area of focus covering digital and automation. Digital tools will be utilised to help reduce administrative burden and automate elements of booking, validation, coding, and reporting, it states. Hopes are to reduce paper, duplication, and manual processes, whilst supporting remote care and self-management.
Wider trend: NHS Trust digital transformation
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has celebrated the go-live of its Nervecentre EPR, posting on LinkedIn about the milestone and thanking all involved. According to the trust board, go-live was deferred from February following delays with NHSE approval. First tranche functionality introduced covers observations, clinical documentation for inpatients, urgent and emergency care, ePMA, bed management, and read-only diagnostic results.
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has issued a pipeline notice to procure an EPR implementation delivery partner to support its EPR programme. The trust states that the notice is to inform forward planning, ahead of an approximate date of 1 July 2026 given for the publication of a tender notice. Estimated contract dates run from 1 September 2026 to 31 March 2028, for a period of a year and seven months.
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has awarded a five month contract with a value of £379,743 for support with its implementation of ambient voice technology across multiple departments. The contract, starting on 20 May and due to end on 31 October 2026, has been awarded to Keystream Group Limited. According to the contract award notice, Keystream Group Limited will be supporting the trust with its deployment of the Lyrebird Health AVT solution across ED, UTC, and OPD, to include EPR integration to enhance clinical workflows.
