Powered by Interweave, progress is being made in bringing pharmacies into the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) Care Record – further broadening the scope of the health and care programme and the potential benefits for local people.
 
The LLR Care Record is bringing together people’s separate health and care records into a structured, easy-to-read format all in one secure place. It joins up information based on the individual rather than one organisation.
 
The inclusion of pharmacies within the LLR Care Record is set to bring a number of benefits for both pharmacy teams and patients.
 
Laura Godtschalk, LLR Care Record programme lead, said: “We anticipate that by enabling pharmacists to see more of their customers’ health and care history and recent treatment, they will be able to provide better care and improve the patient experience.
 
“They will be better able to collaborate with colleagues across the health and care system and build stronger relationships. Improved access to integrated health and care records will enable pharmacists to offer extended care services that relieve pressure from GPs. This will also put them in a better position to prescribe antibiotics confidently and appropriately for the circumstances.
 
“Health and care systems across the country are looking at trying to integrate pharmacies into their Connecting Care programmes – this work in LLR will put us right at the forefront of this important initiative.”
 
The LLR Care Record is being progressed by the LLR Integrated Care Board, Leicestershire Partnership Trust, the three upper tier local authorities (Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council and Rutland County Council), LOROS Hospice, University Hospitals of Leicester, and other partners including East Midlands Ambulance Service, community pharmacy and DHU111.
 
Pilot projects for the LLR Care Record have been held in primary care, outpatient, inpatient and hospice settings, community care and social care. These include early adopter sites at Ibstock GP surgery in Ibstock, Forest House GP practice in Leicester Forest East, the integrated hospital discharge team, Leicestershire Partnership Trust’s unscheduled adult mental health care, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, palliative care, long term conditions and community nursing services, social care teams in Rutland and Leicester, and University Hospitals of Leicester’s renal care, physiotherapy and infection prevention teams.
 
Lee Rickles the CIO, Programme Director & Deputy SIRO at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust said: “We are delighted that Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Care Record is expanding to include pharmacy information. This further enhances clinician access to patient information from a range of healthcare organisations and strengthens our care records. This significant step forward in the way we share health and care information across the region enhances patient safety and empowers informed decision-making.”
 
The Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Care Record is powered by Interweave. To find out more about this technology and how it can benefit your organisation, visit https://www.interweavedigital.com