Local authority and CCG sign joint contract with BT to build and operate a hosted interoperability service
Care authorities for the London Borough of Islington have laid plans to link up their information systems in a step towards the integration of health and social care.
The local authority and the NHS Islington Clinical Commissioning Group have signed a five year, £7.4 million contract with BT to build, operate and manage an interoperability service. It will be hosted on a secure platform from the company and is expected to go live in the autumn of this year.
It will involve BT developing a secure integrated digital care record, pulling together data from different information systems to provide a more complete view of an individual's care.
It will take in acute, community and mental health, GP and social care, giving clinicians and care workers access to wider range of information than is currently possible.
In addition, patients will also be able to see information such as test results and upcoming appointments, and share medical information with clinicians and carers.
Pioneer site
The measure is part of Islington's efforts as one NHS England's 25 integrated care pioneer sites, and BT described it as the largest health and social care interoperability programme in the UK.
Dr Katie Coleman, joint vice chair of NHS Islington CCG, said: “This is an exciting step in our plans to develop an integrated approach to health and social care throughout the borough of Islington. It will not only improve the experience of care, but will also ensure the best possible health and well-being outcomes for people.
“As a GP, I want to give people as much control as possible over their own health and care so I’m particularly excited about the introduction of the person-held record. As well as helping us to create a truly patient centred service, it will promote personal health improvement and prevention.”
Current frustration
Simon Galczynski, Islington Council’s director of adult social care, said: “The current limitations on integrated records are a daily frustration for people who use our health and care services, and for those who work in them.
“An integrated, person-held record will help connect different parts of health and give the person greater control over their record and who can see it, while ensuring they don't have to keep giving the same information to each person involved in their care.”
Image from Wikimedia under General Public Licence
