Hospital Trust to launch major Electronic Patient Record digital upgrade

A new Patient Administration System (PAS), the first phase of the Electronic Patient Record (EPR), by System C will be rolled out at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, this weekend.

The PAS will replace the Trust’s 20-year-old system and involves transferring over one million patient records and training over 5,000 members of staff.

This is part of a multi-million pound improvement programme that will modernise how patients’ medical notes are stored and accessed.

Nigel Lee, Director of Strategy and Partnerships, said: “The transfer of patient information is a major undertaking that has required meticulous planning and testing. We have robust plans in place and our teams will be working hard to minimise disruption to patients.”

Additional staff will be in place during the launch weekend and for the following three weeks. Hospitals periodically upgrade their digital systems and the Trust has worked closely with other hospitals and national digital teams to plan for the upgrade.

Nigel said: “Patients should continue to attend any appointments as normal, unless they have been contacted by the Trust.

“During the transition period we will not have access to some digital systems, and our teams will be maintaining paper records to ensure safe care, which may mean some of our processes will be slower than usual. We would like to thank patients for their support and understanding and apologise for any delays they may experience, as we work to improve care for patients through more modern healthcare systems.   

“Patients can also help our teams by not calling our bookings team during the transition period unless they have a very urgent enquiry that cannot wait for two weeks. This will help keep phone lines clear for very urgent patients so their call can be dealt with promptly.

“This new system is critical in putting the necessary foundations in place for further exciting digital upgrades, supporting improved flow through our hospitals and more integrated working between our teams and health and care partners.”

Nick Wilson, Chief Executive of System C said: “We’re honoured to be able to play a part in SaTH’s digital transformation programme. Leveraging insights from our extensive experience with other NHS clients, we are committed to offering go-live guidance and best practice to drive the success of this project based on successful recent implementations. The teams at System C are dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition this weekend and our support will continue during the subsequent days to facilitate a successful changeover.” 

The emergency departments and maternity services will remain open as usual.

Think Which Service

People can support their local hospitals this weekend by using alternative services including community pharmacies or Minor Injury Units located in Whitchurch, Bridgnorth, Oswestry and Ludlow or contacting NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency, before attending the Emergency Departments.

By choosing the right service for your needs, this will help hospital staff to prioritise patients that most need their help for urgent and life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

More details on what healthcare services are on offer can be found at thinkwhichservice.com.