Lincolnshire implements TPP for OOH

Lincolnshire Community Services has implemented TPP’s SystmOne software for out-of-hours, the healthcare IT supplier has announced.

TPP said the software has been installed at Lincolnshire’s central call centre as well as at nine primary care centres across the region.

The company said the implementation means Lincolnshire urgent care services can now link with the 54 GP practices already using SystmOne.

Any information entered into the patient record by out-of-hours staff will be directly inputted into the shared SystmOne record, requiring no re-entry of data and minimising the workload for practices.

The system also notifies practices using any GP system if their patients have been seen out-of-hours.

And GP records of patients held within SystmOne can be flagged to provide additional information for out-of-hours staff; for example to provide alerts on potentially violent patients.

TPP said the out-of-hours switch over meant Lincolnshire was moving closer to fully connected care for all its patients. 

Four community hospitals, two minor injury units and one A&E service are already using SystmOne, as well as more than 40 community teams and the child health service.

Suzanne Bolton, IT manager for the project at Lincolnshire Community Services, said: “Staff are already appreciating the advantages of SystmOne in improving patient care and sharing information.”

Bolton said the implementation had become additionally complex because Lincolnshire is one of the pilot areas for the new NHS 111 urgent care service.

However, she said staff were working hard to ensure the patient experience in accessing out-of-hours was a positive one during the transition.

Chris Marsh, customer relationship manager for TPP, said: “We’re delighted with the success of the Lincolnshire project.

"It’s been a real collaboration between several teams and the outcome is a vast improvement in efficiency and patient care, right across the region.”