Shared NHS patient records could cut 20,000 A&E visits a year, ministers claim

Sharing access to patients’ health data across NHS providers in England could result in 20,000 fewer A&E visits a year and save £20m annually, the government has claimed, before the second reading of the NHS modernisation bill on Monday. The bill, which would also abolish NHS England , sets out measures including single patient records (SPR) for every person receiving health and social care in England, requiring GPs and hospitals to securely share data as part of the government’s 10-year health plan. Combining SPRs with virtual care would reduce A&E attendances for frail patients by about 10,000 a year, with another 10,000 fewer visits as a result of fewer misdiagnoses. This would save doctors about 500,000 hours a year, according to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The DHSC also predicts 6,000 fewer hospital admissions a year based on the avoided A&E attendances, better heart failure management and improved mental health care. The £20m savings would come through reducing medication errors, adverse drug reactions and duplicate prescribing. The bill sets out a legislative framework for the targeted measures. Maternity and frailty care are expected to benefit from 2027. All NHS providers, including hospitals and GPs, would share data so medical professionals could see a patient’s medical history without the need for patients to keep repeating their issues unnecessarily. The change would join up community services and help people manage their conditions. …