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TPP reports that functionality for seamless data sharing between GPs and prisons via SystmOne has been available since before 2019, but its use depends on GPs enabling data sharing. Since the death, full GP registration has been introduced in prisons allowing automatic electronic transfer of GP records to prison GPs, regardless of the system used by the community GP. (AI summary)
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Dear Ms Bradford
Regulation 28 report regarding Finlay Stuart Ian FINLAYSON
Thank you for your Regulation 28 report dated 22 March 2024 concerning the death of Finlay Stuart Ian Finlayson on 25 January 2019.
Firstly, I would like to express my deep condolences to the family and friends of Mr Finlayson on his tragic death.
Your report addresses the sharing of patient information between healthcare providers in the NHS. This is a complex area. SystmOne was created 25 years ago specifically to support the provision of a shared electronic health record for the patient wherever they were receiving care, initially between GPs, an out of hours service and the local hospital, in Keighley, West Yorkshire. The system is now in use in multiple other healthcare settings across the country and is the national system for the detained estate in England and Wales.
Your report highlights that information was not freely shared between the GP (using SystmOne) and the prison service. Functionality to allow seamless sharing of data is available within SystmOne, and this functionality was available to the detained estate (including prisons) from well before 2019. However, as is still the case, the sharing of data is dependent on the data controller (in this case the GP) permitting the data to be made available to other healthcare organisations. This responsibility is set out in UK Data Protection Legislation. Without the control in SystmOne being turned on by the GP data controller (and a reciprocal control on the receiving side being enabled) the data is not visible. Dame Fiona Caldicott and other data champions have tried to make information sharing ‘the norm’ but there is still resistance in many areas. If the controls that exist within SystmOne to facilitate data sharing had been enabled, Mr Finlayson’s entire SystmOne GP record would have been available to the prison service.
Since the time of Mr Finlayson’s death, more has been done to improve matters. Full GP registration (‘GMS’) has been introduced into prisons in the last two years as a result of policy change by NHS England. Functionality was enabled by TPP to enact this policy change. As a result, prisoners can now opt to have their community GP registration (and their community GP record) transferred to the prison GP. This involves the automatic electronic transfer of the full community GP record to the prison GP, which is then transferred out again on release of the prisoner to the community GP practice. This is an enormous improvement. This change applies regardless of whether the community GP practice uses SystmOne or EMIS.
If you require any further information please let me know. I would be happy to demonstrate the processes described if at all helpful.
Regulation 28 report regarding Finlay Stuart Ian FINLAYSON
Thank you for your Regulation 28 report dated 22 March 2024 concerning the death of Finlay Stuart Ian Finlayson on 25 January 2019.
Firstly, I would like to express my deep condolences to the family and friends of Mr Finlayson on his tragic death.
Your report addresses the sharing of patient information between healthcare providers in the NHS. This is a complex area. SystmOne was created 25 years ago specifically to support the provision of a shared electronic health record for the patient wherever they were receiving care, initially between GPs, an out of hours service and the local hospital, in Keighley, West Yorkshire. The system is now in use in multiple other healthcare settings across the country and is the national system for the detained estate in England and Wales.
Your report highlights that information was not freely shared between the GP (using SystmOne) and the prison service. Functionality to allow seamless sharing of data is available within SystmOne, and this functionality was available to the detained estate (including prisons) from well before 2019. However, as is still the case, the sharing of data is dependent on the data controller (in this case the GP) permitting the data to be made available to other healthcare organisations. This responsibility is set out in UK Data Protection Legislation. Without the control in SystmOne being turned on by the GP data controller (and a reciprocal control on the receiving side being enabled) the data is not visible. Dame Fiona Caldicott and other data champions have tried to make information sharing ‘the norm’ but there is still resistance in many areas. If the controls that exist within SystmOne to facilitate data sharing had been enabled, Mr Finlayson’s entire SystmOne GP record would have been available to the prison service.
Since the time of Mr Finlayson’s death, more has been done to improve matters. Full GP registration (‘GMS’) has been introduced into prisons in the last two years as a result of policy change by NHS England. Functionality was enabled by TPP to enact this policy change. As a result, prisoners can now opt to have their community GP registration (and their community GP record) transferred to the prison GP. This involves the automatic electronic transfer of the full community GP record to the prison GP, which is then transferred out again on release of the prisoner to the community GP practice. This is an enormous improvement. This change applies regardless of whether the community GP practice uses SystmOne or EMIS.
If you require any further information please let me know. I would be happy to demonstrate the processes described if at all helpful.