NHSE commissions rapid review of acute trusts’ EPR plans

Beverley Bryant, former director of digital transformation at NHS England, and joint chief digital information officer at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS FT, is undertaking a rapid review of electronic patient record (EPR) plans at nine acute NHS trusts.

The eight-week review, commissioned by John Quinn, chief information officer at NHSE, is intended to share lessons to help the trusts, which are at various stages of EPR journeys, ranging from business case development to planning for implementation.

The review started in September 2024, with a letter sent to the chief executives of the respective trusts by Quinn and Vin Diwakar, director of the NHSE Transformation Directorate.

Quinn told Digital Health News: “Beverley Bryant is supporting NHS England’s frontline digitisation programme to help a number of acute trusts, who are at varying stages of their EPR journey, to overcome any barriers to the successful delivery of their EPR strategies.

“We have a great wealth of talent and experience across the whole digital profession in the NHS, and it’s vital we use that expertise to support frontline and national teams.

“We’re pleased that Beverley will be able to provide her skills and knowledge from over two decades of involvement in NHS IT, including the successful implementation of joint EPRs across London”.

Bryant, who is on secondment from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, told Digital Health News: “John has asked me to help nine trusts that need help now.  Some are imminently going live, some are delayed and some are at procurement stage.

“It’s not really a review but more a collaborative stocktake of where they are now and offering advice on next steps”.

Bryant said she was not able to name the trusts which she added “have been chosen because they are all at a critical stage”.

Each of the trusts will be provided with a report following a visit from Bryant.

In March, 2024 it was announced that Bryant was stepping down from her role at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and King’s, following the Epic EPR implementation across the two trusts in 2023.

Following completion of the review, Bryant will take up a new role in autumn 2024, as a board level chief digital officer and University Hospitals Dorset NHS FT, as it prepares to procure and implement an EPR across an estate that includes a new build hospital.