GM Care Record for 2.8 million Manchester citizens

Health and care organisations across Greater Manchester have accelerated the deployment of a GM Care Record for all 2.8 million citizens to provide frontline professionals with vital information in the fight against coronavirus.

The GM Care Record collates information held by different health and care organisations to ensure that GPs, doctors, nurses and practitioners can see up to date medical records, care plans, medications and test results to inform the right care and treatment. It means that patients won’t have to keep repeating their medical history to each professional, clinicians will be better equipped to identify patterns and care will be planned more effectively to meet patients’ needs.

This builds on the existing borough-based care records that are in place already and will now create a single joined-up care record for all of GM. In response to the pandemic, the GM Care Record also includes information about when a patient has been tested or diagnosed with coronavirus to ensure continuity of care across different care settings.

The project has been overseen by Health Innovation Manchester and the GM Health and Social Care Partnership, working on behalf of Greater Manchester’s devolved health and care partners.

Ben Bridgewater, chief executive of Health Innovation Manchester, said: “The GM Care Record supports clinical decision making by providing access to important information on medications, test results, care plans and social care support. All of which are essential to treating Covid-19 and other health conditions. The accelerated deployment of the record is a major step forward in ensuring patients are provided with the best possible care based on the most accurate and up to date information. It is also a testament to the strength of our existing devolved partnerships across GM to take swift action on things that will directly benefit patients and frontline services.”

Karen James, chief executive of Tameside Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust and member of the GM Provider Federation Board, commented: “The GM Care Record will have a direct impact on the quality and precision of care we are able to provide patients, particularly those with complex needs across multiple specialties. Sharing this information has never been more important as it will greatly aid clinical decision making and will reduce the burden on both patients on clinicians, freeing up valuable time to care.”