Delays for NHS electronic patient record system

THE NHS electronic patient records (EPR) system being developed for use in London and the south of England has been delayed by six to nine months.

The software, written by IDX for local service providers BT and Fujitsu, needs additional testing following consultation with clinicians, according to the NHS National Programme for IT (NPfIT).

'It means that the release of systems for London and the south ... may now be delayed from autumn 2005 to late spring 2006,' said a spokesman.

'Much NPfIT deployment activity, such as introducing new GP systems and some hospital patient administration systems, will continue in the meantime.

'The right balance will be struck between implementing new systems that bring benefits for patients and clinicians and the readiness of the NHS to receive new systems.'

There have already been delays in the implementation of Choose and Book, the electronic booking system for referring patients to hospital consultants (Computing, 2 September and 30 September 2004, 20 January 2005).

But another service in the £6.2bn programme, the electronic transmission of prescriptions, has started a limited rollout at a number of trial sites across England this week.