Mid and South Essex ICS rolls out new Shared Care Record

Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (MSE ICS) has gone live with its new Shared Care Record.

The tool, developed by Orion Health, consolidates essential health information from various organisations into an easy-to-read record. By integrating data from hospitals, GP practices, mental health, and community services – and soon from social care – it provides care professionals with up-to-date information, reducing duplication and supporting informed decision-making.

Data sources include Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, IC24, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Provide CIC, and 145 GP practices in mid and south Essex. This includes key information such as conditions, medications, allergies, referrals, demographics, inpatient discharge summaries, and mental health summaries.

This, said MSE ICS, streamlines collaboration, saves clinical and administrative time, and enhances the quality and safety of care.

 The Shared Care Record is integrated into the existing systems used by care providers, allowing professionals to access a person’s Shared Care Record securely from their usual IT system without needing an extra login. It is expected to deliver £1.7 million in annual efficiency savings across MSE ICS, said the organisations, enabling professionals to dedicate more time to direct care rather than admin.

In its first week, 1,296 professionals accessed the Shared Care Record to support the care of 9,381 patients.

 “The launch of the Shared Care Record is an important step in our journey toward integrating health and social care across mid and south Essex,” said Tom Abell, CEO at NHS Mid and South Essex.

“By providing our health and social care teams with immediate access to vital patient information, we can improve patient safety, reduce duplication, and ensure more coordinated and personalised care. The system not only makes our services more efficient today but also ensures we are better prepared to meet the changing and growing needs of our population.”

Mark Hindle, VP EMEA at Orion Health said launching the new Shared Care Record in mid and south Essex marks a crucial step forward in realising a fully integrated health system.

“A comprehensive, longitudinal patient record is the foundation for true innovation in NHS services. It enables seamless information sharing across care settings, ensuring clinicians can access a patient’s more complete medical history. Upgrading to a newer generation of technology helps future-proof MSE ICS by enhancing patient care and unlocking the potential for new, data-driven technologies like AI to transform care delivery,” he said.

Plans to include adult social care services

While key data sources are already integrated, plans are underway to broaden the system’s capabilities. The next phase of development will focus on expanding the system to include adult social care services from the three local authorities within MSE ICS, further strengthening local integration between health and social care. This, it said, will help ensure that people receive more consistent support as they move through different parts of the health and care system.

The programme will manage a rolling roadmap with a series of 5-6 phased go-lives, allowing updates to be implemented gradually and efficiently. This strategy will integrate additional data sources, such as pathology and radiology results, and onboard new partners, ensuring the system evolves to meet the changing needs of the local population.