University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) is involved in a three month trial of a project called Your Care Connected.

Your Care Connected is a new electronic system that allows doctors and nurses in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull to view relevant information from patients’ GP records in order to make care safer and quicker.

Patients from eight GP practices in the area are taking part and they have received an information leaflet. UHB is among four hospitals involved in the project, which starts early 2015.

Patients have given permission for their GP records to be shared in this way and permission will be asked for again at the point when the hospital doctor or nurse needs to view the GP record in order to care for the patient.

Information such as patients’ allergies, medication and demographics will be shared via the hospital’s Clinical Portal, but sensitive information such as IVF treatment, HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and termination of pregnancy will not be seen by hospital doctors and nurses. For the trial phase, only registered doctors and registered nurses will be allowed to view the patient’s GP record.

By sharing information between GPs and hospitals, patients could receive safer and quicker treatment and won’t have to remember and repeat information to every medical professional caring for them.

For further information, please visit the Your Care Connected website.