Dorset Care Record reaches major milestones
The county’s integrated shared electronic health and care record – the Dorset Care Record (DCR) – has hit several major milestones in recent weeks.
More than 10,000 dedicated professionals delivering treatment care and support, have now been trained to use the DCR.
The record provides real-time, 24/7 access to vital health and social care information across multiple providers, meaning they’re saving time improving patient outcomes and not duplicating data.
As a result of the ongoing training, accesses to patient records continue to rise with a record number of more than 175,000 accessed by health and social care professionals in July. Many of the users are from hospital settings, with University Hospitals Dorset recording more than 100,000 patient records accessed last month.
The DCR has seen £11.6m worth of time efficiency benefits accrued last year. This has increased from £8.7m in 2023/4 and is based on users confirming via the annual user survey that they are saving 30 minutes per day – predominantly through not having to call or email GP’s or other services, as this information is available to them through the care record.
Over the past two years, a range of new organisations have joined the care record. These include:
CHEC Ophthalmology – a provider of ophthalmology and other healthcare services within Dorset and BCP for the NHS
Coastal Medical Partnership
Harbour Hospital (Circle HealthCare) - NHS patients only
Nuffield Hospital - NHS patients only
Oakhaven Hospice
Special Care Dentistry Dorset (part of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust)
Tricuro, who run a number of care homes for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
Wessex Clinical Van (part of Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust)
Councillor Steve Robinson, Cabinet Portfolio lead for Adult Social Care, said he was delighted with the progress of the care record: “Uptake of the DCR has grown substantially in recent time and it is making a huge positive difference for our residents.
“By having immediate access to vital information, it gives a more rounded picture of a patient’s health, enabling informed decision to be made at the right time and in the right place.”
