East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust has shared the latest on its new EPR, confirming a contract has been signed with provider Terrafix to replace its current system over the next year.
The contract with its current EPR supplier is due to end in 2027, it continues, which reportedly provided an opportunity to review the market to find a modern platform capable of supporting future clinical practice, interoperability, and service improvement.
The trust outlines hopes for the new system around reducing duplication and improving data capture, incorporating digital clinical decision support tools, and helping with handovers in making sure all relevant information is on hand for those involved in a patient’s care.
A group of EPR super users made up of frontline staff have been involved throughout the procurement process and will continue to work with Terrafix on the system design, the trust states. Training and support will be offered to EMAS staff on using the new system throughout the implementation.
Steve Bowyer, EMAS chief digital officer, acknowledges how the new platform will help support frontline teams, offering up-to-date information and improving handover experiences for EMAS and hospital staff. Derek Neve, EPR digital service owner at EMAS, says: “Our aim is to deliver the best possible solution for everyone who uses or interacts with EPR. This includes not only frontline users, but also hospitals, healthcare providers, and other partners who may access or rely on elements of the system.”
Earlier this year, the trust published its Strategic Estates Plan to 2035, outlining its future state vision and plans for a strategic hub model enabled by technology. “The current EMAS estate was constructed for an ambulance service model that no longer reflects the scale, complexity, or operational needs of today’s service,” it shared. “Through a structured, prioritised programme, EMAS can secure an estate that is fit for purpose for the future, supporting next-generation emergency care for our people and patients.”
Wider trend: EPR
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has progressed its EPR programme, moving to “full mobilisation” following confirmation from NHS England. The trust board reported delivering a full business case to NHS England for its SystmOne EPR, with implementation plans “well underway”. At that time, it shared that six Listening into Action teams had been assembled to direct the design and configuration work required to tailor the system to meet trust needs, and that good progress was being made on staff training and the migration of data from Lorenzo. The development of EPR super users is a priority for Q1 2026/27, and go-live is hoped to take place in 2027, it added.
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust is planning an upcoming procurement for a unified CAD and EPR platform, with a total estimated value of £19.3 million. The trust has issued a market notice ahead of a planned February 2027 tender, indicating requirements for the platform around minimising duplication, improving clinical safety, and ensuring real-time information flow between control room operations and care settings.
Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group has forecasted an £11.4 million EPR overspend, noting an EPR review is in progress with “potentially significant” implications for programmes in 2026/27 and 2027/28. The overspend relates to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Trust and James Paget University Hospitals Trust, at £10.2 million and £1.2 million respectively against the original plan, the group reports. An update from the current EPR programme review is expected in Q2, with the board highlighting that inability to secure additional funding “may lead to potential cash pressures, capital department expenditure limit breach or even failure to complete the programme”.
