Software provider Graphnet has been awarded a contract to provide a single integrated care record in England's Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent area.

The project will link NHS and local government organisations for the region’s care professionals and 1.1 million residents. It will involve integrating 151 GP practices, two acute trusts, three community and mental health trusts, two councils and six clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

Graphnet will provide its CareCentric software, which allows clinical and social care information to be shared between disciplines and across organisations.

Patients will also be able to access the myCareCentric personal health record which makes it possible for them to view their records online and manage elements of their own care. 

WHY IT MATTERS

According to a press release, Graphnet’s CareCentric shared care record will enable health and social care professionals from across the health economy to “view and contribute information, relevant to the individuals they are caring for, in a safe and confidential way”.

CareCentric will also be used to create single cross-organisational care plans so care professionals across the community can work together on an individual’s care. This means patients’ shared digital care records will be accessible whether they are being treated by their GP, in a community-based service or in a hospital.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

Graphnet won the contract with Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent following a rigorous procurement led by the local Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) – Together we’re better. Full business intelligence and report capabilities will be provided within CareCentric so the STP can use the care record data and intelligence to maximise the effectiveness of services and their redesign.

Earlier this year, the company also won a contract to provide analytics and population health solutions across the Thames Valley and Surrey Local Health and Care Records Exemplar (LHCR). 

ON THE RECORD

“Local people have told us that they want their health and care records to be available to practitioners who care for them, which means that they only need to share their health history once,” said Simon Whitehouse, programme director of Together We’re Better.  “By connecting these pockets of information, it will help us to be more efficient, so we can improve quality and outcomes for those being treated and cared for across both health and care.”  

Brian Waters, CEO, Graphnet, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to fulfil their programme for better care co-ordination with a connected service. CareCentric will ensure that patients being treated or cared for experience a smooth transition through their pathway of care and safeguarding requirements are fully supported.”