Another step in the development of a new digital ‘Urgent Care Plan’ for Londoners has been taken today with current service transferring from the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust to South West London CCG.
The digital care planning application previously provided by Coordinate My Care (CMC) will remain in use until London is ready to fully implement the new, expanded, Urgent Care Plan alongside technology company, Better UK.
The helpdesk, training and governance previously provided by CMC transferred to the Urgent Care Plan Programme team from 1st April.
Arrangements have been made to ensure that the current care planning functionality continues until the new Urgent Care Plan goes live. There will be no gap in the provision of a care planning service, and users are encouraged to continue creating care plans for patients.
In the future Londoners get the opportunity to have their care and support wishes digitally and securely made available to healthcare professionals across the capital, using a new improved digital platform.
The system records details such as a patient’s treatment preferences as well as details of families, friends or health professionals responsible for their care.
Plans are created by healthcare professionals – including those in primary, secondary and community care, as well as hospices, local authorities and mental health care – are then visible to a range of health and care services including London Ambulance Service, NHS111 and urgent care centres.
Care plans aim to ensure safe care that respects patient wishes if they are unable to convey their own decisions, including by becoming seriously unwell or suffering a traumatic incident such as a car crash.
The ‘Urgent Care Plan’ will enable health and care partners across the capital to work collaboratively to use technology that will reduce duplication, improve accessibility for those who use it, and support a wider range of clinical pathways.
Gary McAllister, Chief Technology Officer for One London – NHS London, said: ‘This is an important step in further connecting healthcare professionals across the capital and involving patients in their own urgent care plans so that we can deliver the best care for them.
Dr Agnelo Fernandes, GP and chair of the London Clinical Governance Group said: “Following a thorough procurement process the pursuit of an electronic Integrated Care Record for London that is widely interoperable is one step closer. CMC led the way in defining the concept of continuity of clinical information in Care Plans visible to a number of providers. We can now look forward to greater functionality for sharing critical information to enhance patient care in supporting the management of long-term conditions, Integrated Urgent Care and End of Life Care.”
Dr Naz Jivani, GP and SWL CCG Governing Body member said: “CMC has provided a strong foundation for London to create Advance Care Plans for our Population. The recent successful procurement process has created the opportunity for us, in London, to take the next step in the development, interoperability and function of these plans. I am personally looking forward to this exciting new phase of the creation of Advance Care Plans.”
Matt Cox, Managing Director of Better UK said: “We are really pleased to have been selected as London’s technology partner to help transform care planning across London. Establishing a platform of persistent data with openEHR coupled with a low code environment for health and care professionals to dynamically evolve digital care planning services will really help support Londoners, their families and professionals alike.”
The information currently recorded in the care plans on Coordinate My Care will be migrated to the Urgent Care Plan when the new improved technology is ready. Throughout the changes, preferences and wishes of people already recorded in a digital care plan will continue to be available to healthcare professionals, including the London emergency services.
