Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust has introduced three innovations within its digital patient record system to allow for the electronic capture of peer support outcomes.
The innovations include the Hope, Agency and Opportunity (HAO) outcome measure, a dedicated peer support intervention tab, and an intended activity SNOMED code.
According to the trust, the introduction of these measures means peer support activities and outcomes can be recorded more consistently, building a better understanding of the impact peer support workers have on people’s recovery, and generating evidence to support the development of lived experience roles in mental health care.
Peer support practitioners can now record their work directly in patient records, enhancing visibility of these activities alongside other mental health interventions.
“Peer support can play a powerful role in recovery, but historically it has been difficult to evidence its impact,” notes Dan Brunetti, an occupational therapist at Kent and Medway Mental Health. “Recording this work digitally helps us understand what makes the greatest difference for people and how services can continue to improve.”
The new approach was formally launched during the trust’s “Measuring What Matters” peer support conference on 13 March.
Wider trend: Electronic patient records
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.
In its latest meeting, the board of Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust discussed “significant progress” made over the last two months in progressing the trust’s digital agenda, highlighting new digital roles, EPR procurement, planned rollout of ambient voice, and a “major investment” in clinical system integration. Procurement has begun for a new acute and community EPR, according to the board, with decisions moving forward to be shaped by staff input. A major investment in clinical system integration with system partners is underway, with the trust’s virtual ward to be integrated with Oracle CRS and TPP SystmOne to promote data flows and improve joined-up care.
East Cheshire NHS Trust has outlined five aims for 2026 and beyond following the “smoother than anticipated” go-live of its Meditech EPR in June of last year. The trust shares five focuses ahead of the one-year anniversary of implementation, including a major upgrade addressing “a number of the known improvement opportunities” with the system, scheduled for 21 March. By the end of June 2026, East Cheshire plans to complete the further digitisation of paper documentation across its inpatients, outpatients, and ED departments. Work is also underway to optimise existing live referrals and extend the rollout of internal referral orders for other specialties, the trust notes, with a focus again on high priority referrals that can be delivered by June 2026.
