The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said it will distribute £8.7 million among seven hospital trusts to support the roll out of digital records and e-prescribing.
Minister for Patient Safety Nadine Dorries announced the move to mark World Patient Safety Day, saying it will help to reduce potentially deadly medication errors.
The money has been allocated to Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust (£1.7 million), Solent NHS Trust (£988,000), Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (£637,000), United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (£1.26 million), North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust (£2 million), East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (£1.59 million) and Birmingham Community NHS Trust (£531,000).
It is the third wave of a £78 million pot which has already seen allocations of £16.2 million and £29.4 million in the past two financial years. Another £12 million will be allocated later this year.
DHSC said that e-prescribing has already been rolled out to over 130 NHS trusts and that the technology can reduce errors by up to 30%.
Image from iStock, Seksan Mongkonkamsao