Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) has achieved a major milestone in its digital transformation journey with the launch of the first phases of its new Nervecentre Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system.
The introduction of Nervecentre marks a significant step forward in modernising patient care. The modular implementation approach enables the trust to introduce changes in a controlled and manageable way, ensuring smooth adoption and minimal disruption to services over a period of time.
On Wednesday 19 November, the trust went live with two key modules:
- Clinical Photography
- Electronic Observations
Clinicians have already reported substantial improvements, including more accurate patient lists and enhanced monitoring tools, which are improving patient care and outcomes.
Early feedback highlights the positive impact of the new sepsis tool, which has helped identify patients requiring urgent review and enabled prompt treatment.
Building on this success, the Investigations functionality went live on Tuesday 2 December, allowing clinicians to view and file investigation results directly in Nervecentre. This change consolidates information into one system, streamlining workflows and improving patient safety through real-time alerts and escalation.
Early impact – key benefits of the roll-outs
- More accurate patient lists, supporting better clinical decision-making.
- Instant access to investigation results at the bedside.
- Improved monitoring and faster response to deteriorating patients.
- Reduced duplication and administrative burden for clinical teams.
Dr Jacqueline Andrews, Executive Medical Director at HDFT, said:
“Electronic Patient Records are transforming the way we deliver care. By bringing vital patient information together in one secure, accessible system, they reduce duplication and improve accuracy.
“Clinicians can access real-time data at the bedside, make faster decisions, and respond quickly to changes in a patient’s condition. Ultimately, EPRs help us deliver safer, more efficient care and free up more time for what matters most, our patients.”
Dermot Ryan, NHS England’s Director of Digital Transformation, said:
“Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust’s work to deliver their Electronic Patient Record system will help transform the way care is delivered for patients – including streamlining workflows, reducing administrative tasks and improving data accessibility, as well as laying the digital foundations for innovative technologies that further support clinical practice and enhance patient care.”
Paul Volkaerts, CEO of Nervecentre Software Ltd, added:
“We’re delighted to see the positive impact Harrogate and District’s new cloud-based EPR is having already. Clinicians now have clearer, more accurate patient lists, and the sepsis alerts are helping staff identify and treat at-risk patients quickly – which will save lives. It’s fantastic to know their EPR is making a real difference to patient care and outcomes so quickly after the go-live.”
This milestone reflects exceptional collaboration across clinical and operational teams and demonstrates the trust’s commitment to delivering safer, more efficient care through digital innovation. Further Nervecentre functionality will be rolled out in April next year.
