New National Record Locator Service launched

NHS Digital has launched the new National Record Locator Service which will allow triage personnel access crucial patient information and improve better joined-up health and care.

The service will enable mental health nurses and paramedics who are called to a patient in distress to know whether a patient they are treating has a mental health crisis plan, meaning they can better decide if a patient should be transported to a more appropriate care setting than A&E or offer alternative, community-based care as indicated in the crisis plan.

This will not only improve patient safety and mental health outcomes, but it will also reduce duplicate care costs. The scope of the National Record Locator Service will evolve over time but demonstrating the capability through this first-use case is an important step in assisting NHS organisations in their plans to move towards better integrated care models.

Gareth Thomas, who leads the Integrating Care Programme at NHS Digital, said: “The record locator represents a fantastic opportunity for health and social care information to be available at the fingertips of frontline health and care staff, wherever they happen to be. The service will integrate information right across the sector and will allow organisations to collaborate more closely. Direct access to records at the point of care delivery will bring huge benefit for patients, front line teams, and the wider NHS. It is a brilliant example of new technology meeting the demands of a modern and forward-thinking NHS.”

Hadleigh Stollar, Integrating Care Programme Manager at NHS Digital, added: “This is a critical milestone in the journey towards patient centred, integrated care enabled through a nationally supported and agnostic capability. Fundamental to this success has been the outstanding collaboration between NHS Trusts, system suppliers and the dedicated team at NHS Digital and I am personally grateful to everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this a reality.”

The service has been launched in beta and first use-case partners will be North West, North East, Yorkshire and London Ambulance Services – working with their local mental health trusts; Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Humber NHS Foundation Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.