News and events

A new partnership to deliver connected care records for the North East and North Cumbria is being launched.

Led by The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as part of the Great North Care Record, Cerner has been chosen to provide the technology which will securely connect patient information across the region.

The Great North Care Record will ultimately link the region’s hospitals, mental health services, social care, GPs and community services and ambulance services 24 hours a day so that patients can be assured that the staff treating them will have all of the relevant information to hand. 

This announcement provides the ‘Information Exchange’ element of the Great North Care Record and work will begin in spring 2019 with the first organisations being fully connected by the autumn.

Connected health and care information has huge benefits for patients, giving clinicians relevant up-to-date information about their patients, such as medications, test results, allergies, and other pre-existing conditions.  It removes the burden from patients of having to tell their story to many different members of staff.  As a result, clinicians and care staff can make well-informed, timely decisions based on the specific needs of their patients, enhancing patient safety and ultimately improving the quality of care and outcomes. 

Once implemented, appropriate authorised professionals will for the first time have sight of a patient’s relevant information from the different organisations involved in their care. 

This regional initiative represents an important step forward in our mission to make the North East and North Cumbria one of the best places to receive care.

Dame Jackie Daniel, Chief Executive of Newcastle Hospitals said: "In emergency situations, when time is of essence, making sure that critical information is available to care teams is vital.  Having access to someone’s clinical information helps staff to make well informed care decisions based on each patient’s individual needs.  I am delighted that Newcastle Hospitals has been able to support the region in this major step towards improving care."

Yvonne Ormston, Chief Executive Officer of North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and chair of the Great North Care Record Delivery Board said: “This is a significant milestone for the Great North Care Record. It means we are a step closer to providing our health and care professionals with the right information to support them at the point of care.

“The whole of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System is behind this project. It has been so inspiring to see how the health and care system has come together and agreed this way forward. We are very much looking forward to bringing the benefits of regional integrated care record to the North East and North Cumbria.”

Distie Profit, General Manager at Cerner UK welcomed the announcement adding: "What the Great North Care Record is doing to improve outcomes and the quality of care they provide to their population is truly remarkable, and the impact this will have in improving the experience for patients and care teams will speak for itself.

“Being chosen to support this next step in their journey to delivering more integrated care across the region and improve population health gives us huge pleasure. We are looking forward to starting the implementation process and to working closely with all the parties involved in this exciting initiative.”