A new era for Northern Ireland’s health service will dawn on Thursday 9 November 2023 when the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust waves good bye to paper patient records and launches the major new electronic patient record – encompass.
It will be an historic moment.
The health service here has partnered with the global leader Epic to build encompass, which is unique to Northern Ireland. Epic currently provides electronic records for over 300 million people within the UK and across the globe.
Implementing encompass, means our health and social care records will be digitised and can be accessed at the touch of a button. Information from various existing outdated IT systems that do not currently communicate effectively with each other will be brought together.
This will make our health service safer, more efficient and effective.
In due course, everyone across Northern Ireland will be able to install an app on their mobile device called ‘MyCare’ where they will be able to access their own patient records. This will be revolutionary.
There will of course be a time of change and adjustment for our staff as they get used to the system, so we are asking the public to be a little patient during the first few weeks of Go- Live. This digital innovation will benefit you!
Having one digital record means that information does not need to be stored in lots of different systems. It allows health care staff to see the right information, at the right time.
The time needed to access information will be reduced, the need for heavy paper records will be eliminated, and the duplication of orders and information with be greatly reduced.
encompass will be rolled out to other Trusts on a phased basis over the next 18-24 months. The Belfast Trust will follow the South Eastern Trust and it will then be implemented in the Northern, Western and Southern Trusts.
encompass will transform how health and social care is delivered throughout Northern Ireland.
Click here to read an open letter to all our patients and service users.
Click here for the Easy Read version.
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Benefits for staff
More time spent on what’s important
Less time chasing paper records and trying to read illegible handwriting
Over time, more capacity to care
Easier access to the record means more time with patients or clients
Improved access
Faster and easier access to more information to support decision-making
Safer, better care
Higher quality of care through standardised workflows and implementation of best practice
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For Patients & Service Users
Less repetition
Less time repeating information to multiple health care professionals
Improved quality and consistency of care
Evidence-based standards and practices for all Northern Ireland
Increased ownership of the health journey
A new portal to empower patients and clients to own their personal health journey
Improved safety
Built in digital safety checks for allergies, infection risks and medication dosing