NHS England has warned of a safety risk with a maternity information system used by a number of hospital trusts.
While saying there is no evidence of harm so far, it has published a National Patient Safety Alert relating to technical issues with the Euroking system, provided by Magentus Software, identifying three specific issues.
One is that certain information recorded during a patient contact can overwrite some that was previously recorded in the pregnancy record, and another that certain information relevant to a specific pregnancy event can overwrite data across an entire patient record.
Thirdly, some pregnancy-level data can prepopulate into new pregnancy records, which can mean clinicians could see incorrect information. Attempts to correct this can result in the overwriting of earlier data, the notice says.
It says that trusts using the system take a series of steps by 7 June 2024. Those using Euroking should consider whether it meets their maternity services needs and ensure the local configuration is safe, which will require working with the supplier to make changes in the system.
Review data fields
They should also review and ensure that each data field does not copy forward or backward, and that if a new procurement is deemed necessary they should ensure all clinical information is appropriately backed up and accessible for any future requirement.
Organisations with legacy Euroking contract have been told to implement a process to ensure users with any legacy records will be alerted to issues.
Those using other maternity information systems should reassess their clinical safety and ensure they comply with the Maternity Digital Capabilities Framework.
“There is currently no evidence of actual harm being reported as a result of these issues,” NHS England said. “The alert has been issued as a precautionary measure to ensure patient safety by asking providers to review their systems to identify if the issues are present, and where appropriate to take steps to eliminate the risk.”
Supplier response
Asked for a response to the development, a spokesperson for Euroking said: “Euroking is a maternity information management product which has been serving NHS trusts for more than 10 years. In recent months we have been working with NHS England to address questions relating to the way certain data fields are represented on the system.
“We have also provided customers with support and information to address the issues raised. We will continue to work with our customers to address the points raised in the PSA and if necessary transition care to updated or alternative processes and systems in conjunction with our customers’ clinical safety team.
“We are proud of our safety track record and continue to prioritise patient safety in all we do. As NHS England have said, there is currently no evidence of actual harm being reported as a result of these issues.”
