Oracle EPR go-live in Essex ‘likely to be delayed’
- 10 February 2026
- An EPR programme in Essex is expected to be delayed
- The system was planned to go live in phases from winter 2026 until spring 2027
- Risks related to system integration and programme complexity could cause delay
An electronic patient record (EPR) programme at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSEFT) and Essex Partnership University Trust (EPUT) is expected to be delayed.
The EPR system, called ‘Nova’, being supplied by Oracle Health, which will align physical and mental health care provision across the two trusts, was originally planned to go live in phases from winter 2026 until spring 2027.
In an EPUT board paper, published on 4 February 2026, Zephan Trent, executive director of digital, transformation and strategy, said: “The Nova programme is progressing, but new risks – linked to system integration and programme complexity – are likely to delay the EPR go-live date.
“Oracle Health has confirmed no additional costs, though extra resourcing will be needed and is being reviewed with finance.”
More than 90 members of staff across EPUT and MSEFT have completed the Nova Academy, which is made up of a mix of courses, workshops and resources, according to the board paper.
The training aims to boost their digital skills across areas including clinical safety and governance, leadership, change management, and data quality, in preparation for the EPR launch.
Trent told Digital Health News that the system “is the first of its type in the UK and for the NHS, across hospitals, mental health and community services through a single unified system”.
“It is a complex programme which requires the harmonious integration of several digital projects.
“We continue to work with our partners through a detailed plan to ensure the new EPR system delivers better and safer care for our patients and the communities we serve.
“The EPR is now scheduled to go live in 2027 as part of a phased approach,” he added.
Meanwhile, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust has set a new go-live date of 19 October 2026 for its Oracle EPR following multiple delays to allow further testing to ensure the system’s safety and efficiency.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust went live with its Oracle EPR in July 2025 after an eight-month delay to deal with “outstanding issues” around system and organisational readiness.
1 Comments
Does kind of beg the question of whether trying to shove Cerner into a mental health trust is such a smart move. Maybe SLAM might want to go and speak to the trusts before they embark on their own attempt to shoehorn in Epic? Might make sense from an abstracted convergence strategy point of view but there are well-proven MH EPR providers out there who know this space far better and are much cheaper.
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