The first live electronic transfer of a patient’s medical record from one GP surgery to another has been successfully completed by NHS Connecting for Health.
This historic first live transfer took place as part of a number of trials being undertaken by NHS Connecting for Health on GP-to-GP transfer of electronic patient records.
The medical record was electronically transferred from the Whickham Health Centre practice to the Chainbridge House practice, both in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, via the NHS spine using software supplier EMIS’s GP2GP workflow software.
GP-to-GP transfer of electronic patient records means the complete patient record is transferred directly to the new surgery’s computer system, rather than being sent in paper format and then having to be re-input manually.
As well as ensuring that records are more accurate, the electronic record transfer will dramatically speed up the current process of paper-based transfers, which can take up to six weeks to complete.
Richard Granger, Director General of NHS IT and Chief Executive of NHS Connecting for Health said: “I’m really pleased that we now have live sites running with this service. Some 3.3 million people change GP every year so this important development will maximise the value of existing GP systems and improve the working day in many surgeries.
“This marks a further milestone towards the achievement of a portable patient record.”
And Dr Paul Cundy, chairman of the BMA's GPC IT committee said: "This is an historic landmark in GP IT, indeed the NHS in general. It will be an enormous benefit for patients and practices alike and is a very welcome component of the modernisation agenda.
"This first live patient record transfer would not have been achieved without the close working relationship between the Joint GP IT Committee of the GPC, clinicians and the GP-to-GP project team of NHS Connecting for Health."
The GP-to-GP project team is now in the early stages of proving this solution and are moving at a measured pace in conjunction with the GPC and the RCGP through the Joint GP IT Committee.
