London Programme for IT

Southwark gets ready for next RiO upgrade

Testing is now underway on the next version of the RiO electronic patient record system, Release 1, which is due to be rolled out to the first trust in March 2011.

NHS Southwark will be the first primary care trust (PCT) in London to upgrade to this new version of RiO and preparations at the trust have already begun.

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust will be the first mental health trust to introduce RiO Release 1.

The new release will provide improved e-prescribing functionality, results reporting, virtual beds, waiting list management and easier scheduling of appointments.

There will also be greater focus on sharing records between similar care settings in the later version Release 1.1, enabling personal records to be merged on screen and help users to differentiate where notes have been generated.

For NHS Southwark, RiO Release 1 will increase efficiencies and facilitate better information sharing between sites and clinicians.

Around 600 healthcare professionals working in community services will benefit.

Staff using the latest version of RiO will include district nurses, health visitors, therapists and podiatrists.

The main benefits for the trust are:

• Prevention screening and surveillance
• Results reporting
• Waiting lists/ referral to treatment
• Prescribing enhancements
• Prescribing in community outpatients
• Freehand drawings in assessments
• Closer linking of personal contacts with Family Links
• Care planning enhancements including multi-professional care plans
• Ability to mark as 'entered in error' on forms
• Virtual beds
• Progress notes word search
• HCP diary/ clinic enhancements such as visual appointment type indicator, multiple appointment search and scheduling
• Various developments and enhancements such as centile charts, bar code generation and client communications log.

Malcolm Hines, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Resources of NHS Southwark said: “This upgrade to our IT systems will support NHS Southwark staff in providing the best care to patients.

"RiO will mean better, safer care for patients wherever and whenever they need it.

"We're looking forward to rolling it out across the borough.”

NHS Southwark

www.southwarkpct.nhs.uk

Camden and Islingston NHS Foundation Trust

www.candi.nhs.uk

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