NHS: Electronic Patient Record Systems

Lord Kakkar Excerpts

Wednesday 12th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is quite right about the benefits. The electronic patient records programme provides a 4.5% reduction in length of stay, as well as a 13% lower cost in admitted patient spells, so there are great benefits as well as better productivity and outcomes for patients. Electronic patient record coverage is forecast to be at 96% of trusts by March 2026, and the remaining 4% of NHS trusts will be advanced in their plans for an electronic patient record. I emphasise that we are proactive in actively supporting hospitals and trusts to get to the right place.

[Lord Kakkar (CB)]

My Lords, I draw the House’s attention to my registered interests. Patients who are managed in research-active environments frequently have better clinical outcomes. For an environment, be it in the community or in the hospital, to be research active, it must be able to collect patient data; electronic records are therefore essential. Beyond that, there is a necessity to curate those data and present them in such a fashion that they can be used meaningfully and rapidly to drive our nation’s research effort and benefit all citizens. What plans do His Majesty’s Government have, as they move forward with the 10-year plan, to ensure that that area of development is properly funded?