Here is our usual end of year review by our Head of Service, Andy Cowling. He takes a look back at some of the highlights of 2024.
It’s December again so that means the regular annual update from me for the Dorset Care Record (DCR) – my 5th review! I can’t believe how quickly that has come around.
Statistics:
I’ll start with one of my favourite areas – the statistics which show how useful the information in DCR is in helping to improve health and social care across the county.
Active users – up from 3,500 to over 4,300 in November
Monthly patient records accessed – up from nearly 120,000 to nearly 150,000 in November (over 150,000 in October!)
Trained professionals – up from over 7,000 to well over 9,000
Releases:
We have had the usual 3 releases throughout the year – Release 13 and two minor maintenance releases – all delivered with the usual professionalism from the DCR programme management office.
New information:
In terms of new information we have managed to add:
- HALO (substance misuse) – Demographics, Referrals and Encounters
- Mental Health documents from Dorset Healthcare
- Pathology from University Hospitals Dorset
- Children’s referrals from Dorset Council
- Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) reports from Dorset Council
- Community Treatment Orders reports from Dorset Council
We continue to work with our partners and pencilled for delivery in 2025 is:
- Dorset Council Relationships
- Adult Care packages from Dorset Council
- Adult care packages from Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP)
- Further substance misuse information from HALO
- Document sharing with Hampshire’s shared care record (CHIE)
New organisations:
We’ve had the following new organisations join us in accessing information:
- CHEC Ophthalmologists
- Coastal Medical Partnership
- DW Fire & Rescue – Safe and Well Team
- Oakhaven Hospice
- Reach – Humankind Charity
- We are with You – Drug and Alcohol Services
Next year:
- Key component upgrades for the platform
- Substance misuse information to be populated
- BCP Council starting to share data beyond demographics through the platform
- Launch of interop with CHIE
Outside of the programme:
For our volunteering day the team took on the challenge of cleaning and weeding Nothe fort overlooking Weymouth harbour – lots of hard work but the results after we’d completed were really great to see. It’s not often you can tell people that you swept a disused nuclear bunker!
Team:
The team has continued to deliver with its customary professionalism through 2024. We have have a few changes with one retirement, one team member appointed into a secondment in another area in Dorset Council, our apprentice appointed to a substantive role and another person returning from Maternity leave.
I’m very proud to say that the DCR continues to go from strength to strength and I’m really excited for 2025!
Ends