Westminster shares info with Vision 360

INPS has announced that NHS Westminster is to use its Vision 360 system to share information with out-of-hours and unscheduled care settings.

The primary care trust has been piloting information sharing since October, with two GP practices feeding information into Vision 360 from their practice-based Vision systems.

The data has been available to view by clinicians working in out-of-hours via their local systems, which interoperate with Vision.

Jason Kleeman, ICT programme manager for NHS Westminster, said the PCT now plans to extend the pilot to 20 GP practices.

He added: “Although the pilot was only for NHS Westminster it was designed to be scalable and we are looking at utilising this technology across inner North West London.

"Gone are the days of narrow bespoke systems and wider links to secondary care and social services must be considered.”

The PCT had been working with the London Programme for IT since December 2009 on a proof of concept pilot to provide local out-of-hours services and unscheduled care settings with access to patient records held by GPs.

Kleeman said the pilot had shown sharing of records via Vision 360 was “technically possible and clinically desirable.”

INPS said the streaming of data via Vision 360 had enabled the PCT to demonstrate the use of a detailed patient summary and how data that was previously contained within the GP practice could be shared.

INPS said the success of the pilot had also helped convince clinicians of the value of sharing patient records.

Kleeman added: “Vision 360 has the capability to revolutionise the way data is used in healthcare.

"Combined with robust access controls, the sharing of information within the healthcare community will undoubtedly improve patient care and resource planning.”