A digital twin to the NHS Red Book, the Nurturey PinkBook, has successfully launched across Dorset, giving parents digital access to the Personal Child Health Record via their mobile phones.
The Nurturey PinkBook has been approved, assured and regulated by NHS England and has been designed to complement the traditional paper-based Red Book, rather than replace it.
Expectant parents are able to download the app, and use their existing NHS login to sign in. No activation from the GP or a midwife is needed as the PinkBook will be set up automatically.
Although the RedBook will still be used by health professionals to monitor a child’s vaccination records, measurements and milestones, the information will automatically be duplicated in the PinkBook.
This means parents will be able to digitally monitor their child’s progress. Additionally, it will provide trusted NHS health guidance as well as reminders and alerts (for example, when vaccinations are due) throughout the parenting journey.
This digital advancement has been rolled out across Dorset from September 14th in the first instance, but there are hopes it will achieve a wider rollout.
Tushar Srivastava, founder and CEO of Nurturey PinkBook, said: “Dorset is our starting point, marking a significant milestone in the history of digital child care developments in the country…
“The Nurturey PinkBook serves as a digital complement to the existing system, offering parents a convenient way to view health records digitally.”
This digital advancement happening in Dorset comes as a result of a collaboration between Nurturey and Provide CIC, a community-based social enterprise. The PinkBook is now waiting for further approvals from the NHS to prepare for a potential national launch.
Back in 2019, Matt Hancock, then Health and Social Care Secretary, announced that digitising the paper Red Book would form part of new measures aimed at redesigning neonatal services to improve safety, quality and continuity of care.