Trusts begin EPR rollouts after NHSE-imposed delays

Three trusts have begun rolling out their electronic patient record systems months later than planned after NHS England forced them to delay.

HSJ reported in early March that a major go-live of the Nervecentre electronic patient record at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust was suspended, following intervention by NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey. Elements of Sherwood Forest Hospitals FT’s phased rollout of Nervecentre had also been halted.

Later that month, HSJ broke the news that North Cumbria Integrated Care FT had been told by NHSE to delay its planned rollout of the Alcidion EPR as the NHSE was “unable to approve any go-lives at the time”.

This followed reports that Sir Jim was requiring personal sign-off for all major EPR launches  due to concerns about their impact on performance and productivity – particularly during winter performance pressures, and with government very keen to hit year-end waiting list targets. 

James Hawkins, chief digital information officer at York and Scarborough FT, said the rollout was “one of the most significant and complex transformations” undertaken by the trust.

Mr Hawkins said the EPR had been introduced across multiple sites and in “some of our busiest clinical environments with zero downtime and without compromising the quality of care we provide to our patients”.

“That is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the professionalism, resilience, and teamwork of colleagues right across our organisation,” he added.

Read full story (paywalled)

Source: HSJ, 28 May 2026