Mental health records from Dorset HealthCare are for the first time feeding into the Dorset Care Record (DCR).
It means that mental health and community health data have now joined hospitals, GPs and social care in both seeing a view only summary and contributing data.
Demographic information, which includes the name, date of birth, address, next of kin, NHS number and ethnicity of Dorset residents, along with inpatient and outpatient (attendance) details held by Dorset HealthCare went live this week (14 Dec). Other mental health data is set to be included in the DCR in 2021.
The move means that all partners, which include Dorset’s acute hospitals – University Hospitals Dorset and Dorset County Hospital – two local authorities (Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole and Dorset Council) and Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (Dorset CCG) are now providing patient data to the DCR.
Benefits will include health and care professionals having access to GPs and other partner’s patient care details, the provision of near real-time information in one place and greater coordination of care between health and social care staff across Dorset.
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a huge rise in the number of records accessed this year and the addition of Yeovil District Hospital, Somerset, and community pharmacies across Dorset accessing the DCR. Last month saw more than 18,000 patient records viewed by DCR health and social care professionals.
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