Key Takeaways

• NHS Shetland has chosen Cambric Systems’ Morse mobile EPR to enhance community health services.
• The system allows offline access to patient records, facilitating care in remote settings.
• Implementation will begin with community nursing teams, expanding to other health professionals in the future.

NHS Shetland Adopts Mobile EPR for Enhanced Community Care

NHS Shetland has announced the selection of Cambric Systems to provide its mobile electronic patient record (EPR) system, known as Morse, aimed at improving community-based health services across various islands. The Morse mobile EPR is designed to serve a diverse range of health services delivered directly in patients’ homes and community environments.

A standout feature of the Morse system is its capability to function both online and offline. This enables clinicians to access patient records and complete assessments in real-time, irrespective of internet connectivity. When connectivity is restored, patient records and notes are automatically synchronized, ensuring that clinicians always have the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.

The initial rollout of the system is targeted for community nursing teams within the next six to twelve months, with plans to extend its application to other specialized community services and allied healthcare professionals in the future.

Kim Anderson, chief nurse for community and mental health at NHS Shetland, emphasized that the implementation of the Morse system will significantly transform the way clinical information is accessed and shared within the community. “Having everything documented in Morse will give us complete visibility of our patient care,” she stated, highlighting the enhanced oversight and assurance in the quality of services provided. The availability of previous test and treatment records during patient visits, particularly for those with complex needs, is expected to bolster decision-making and improve care outcomes.

By transitioning from paper-based records to an electronic system, NHS Shetland aims to reduce the time community nurses devote to paperwork, allowing them to focus more on patient care. According to Bibianna Wojtczak, senior project manager at NHS Shetland, the adoption of Morse aligns with the organization’s digital goals to integrate healthcare delivery and streamline processes. The offline functionality, in particular, is crucial, as it will allow for the recording and sharing of assessments even in environments with limited connectivity.

The EPR system is designed to facilitate system-level integrations with the board’s existing GP system, thereby improving information sharing between services and minimizing redundant data entry. Garry Sherriff, Managing Director at Cambric, noted that Morse has been developed in collaboration with NHS clinicians over the years and has already been successfully implemented across various NHS Boards, particularly in challenging rural and island environments.

With its focus on community and mental health care, Morse aims to support NHS Shetland’s mobile community nurses who operate across wide-ranging and often disconnected geographies, enabling them to collaborate effectively as part of multidisciplinary teams. The solution represents a significant step towards enhancing the delivery of healthcare services in Scotland’s remote and rural regions.

Morse is already in use in several healthcare settings across Scotland, including NHS Orkney, NHS Forth Valley, and the NHS Western Isles Health Board, indicating a growing trend towards digital health solutions in community care.

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