A new contract for electronic patient records (ERP) has been awarded to the NHS which runs services across West Devon

The EPR project will transform care for patients and staff across Devon’s acute hospitals and community sites, it is claimed.

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHP) and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (TSDFT) are adopting EPR (already used by the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital in Exeter) to build a Devon-wide system, allowing staff access to patients’ health and care information quickly and securely, wherever in the county they are treated. The systems are due to be running by summer next year.

For patients, this will mean they do not have to remember their medical history or repeat the same information to different members of staff, making their care smoother. joined up and quicker. EPR should improve safety and quality of care because all medical teams can see the same complete up-to-date information.

This same digital record gives patients better access to information about their own care through MY CARE, a digital platform for patients already used in north and east Devon NHS areas.

Professor Adrian Harris, responsible for the One Devon EPR programme, said: “Our electronic patient record is already helping us to transform care for patients in north and east Devon. Collaborating across Devon will help us be as effective as possible for local people and communities.”

Simeon Brundell, of UHP, said: “The current use of multiple clinical systems and paper records is challenging for our staff and presents issues for patients accessing our services.

“By streamlining our digital processes into one programme, we will enable our staff to focus on decision making supported by accurate and timely information, as well as patient care.”