NHS Connecting for Health has announced that 1 million records have now been transferred using its GP2GP record transfer system.
CfH said that the project reached the 1milestone in February, and predicted that the number of GP practices involved and the number of systems enabled to use the system would both grow later in the year.
More than 5,000 GP practices across England using EMIS LV and INPS’s Vision system can use GP2GP, which enables records to be transferred electronically when patients move practices.
Dr John Williams, clinical safety lead for the GP2GP programme, said more than two thirds of practices were now able to take part in the project and 1 million transfers was an important landmark.
He added: “It is very encouraging that this has been well received by participating practices and there has been a good clinical safety record. This is just the start. To obtain the full potential of GP2GP, we must now go on to enable the majority of remaining practices and refine the transfer process."
Leeds Student Medical Practice is the highest user of GP2GP in England, with more than 6,000 record transfers since 2007. Carrie Ellison, practice manager, said a key benefit was the inclusion of patient’s medication history in the electronic record transfer.
She added: “In most cases, the patient notes are available at first consultation. This is of immense benefit when a patient presents at the practice with ongoing medical conditions because it provides the clinicians with access to their full health record, including past and current medication.
"We feel this allows us to deliver seamless care to our patients, which is what we aim to achieve.”
Ellison said the availability of patients’ vaccination history in coded form also saved a lot of time for staff preparing for travel immunisation clinics.
Dr Alan Hassey, a member of the RCGP’s Health Informatics Group, said: “I am delighted that the project has reached this very significant milestone, which demonstrates the benefits of the profession and NHS Connecting for Health working closely together.”