Northern Ireland’s Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, has announced the successful full roll-out of the encompass patient record system, positioning Northern Ireland at the forefront of health service delivery.
The Southern and Western Health and Social Care Trusts have now completed their 'Go-Live' on encompass, making the system operational across all Trust areas and marking a new era for the region's health and social care services.
encompass is a clinically and operationally-led integrated care record system that provides a single digital care record for every citizen in Northern Ireland who receives health and social care. With the Southern and Western Trusts joining the South Eastern, Belfast, and Northern Trusts, which went live over the past 18 months, the system is now fully operational across the region.
Patients and service users across Northern Ireland can now access their health information online via My Care, the patient portal. Available through an app or webpage, My Care enables patients to play a more active role in their healthcare, enhancing their engagement and management of their health.
Commenting on the move, Nesbitt said:
“Today marks a significant milestone in Northern Ireland’s health and social care service, as the final two Health Trusts ‘Go-Live’ on encompass. Its introduction across the Trusts places HSC Northern Ireland in the forefront of digital transformation of health service delivery.
“This has been a concerted effort across the whole of the Health and Social Care system since it was first announced in 2020, and I want to sincerely thank each of those who have played a key role in getting us here. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and has allowed Northern Ireland to modernise our systems and fundamentally improve how we deliver care.”
The successful implementation of encompass involved extensive collaboration among various stakeholders, including Trusts, the Department of Health, Digital Health and Care NI (DHCNI), the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG), and the HSC’s Business Services Organisation (BSO). This collective effort underscores Northern Ireland's commitment to advancing its health and social care services through innovative technology.
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