Published on: Wednesday 17th September, 2014 Contract is fifth in a series of new workforce mobilisation wins for Advanced in the community and mental health space

Leading software provider, Advanced Health & Care (Advanced) has won a significant contract to provide the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) with Carenotes, a powerful patient information management system.

The Trust is one of the UK's most respected mental health trusts and provides outpatient treatment to more than 2,000 people in London and the South East of England. This is the fifth contract which Advanced has secured in the mental health space in the last 12 months. The initial five year contract has the potential to be extended to 10 years.

Carenotes will enable clinical staff access to patients' records at point of care via internet enabled laptops and tablet devices and will integrate with the NHS Spine Directory, enabling senior clinical staff to share information with patients' GPs and other health professionals.

Carenotes will be rolled out to the Trust's 450 employees in May 2015 following an initial trial by thirty clinical and administrative staff who will use the system to book and manage patient appointments.

The Trust selected Carenotes following a formal tendering process through the London and South Consortium framework and involved eight other suppliers. Carenotes was deemed to be the most functionally rich, easiest to use, and was customisable to meet the Trust's exact requirements.  It also provides the security and detailed access rights that are essential to protect confidentiality.

The system will ensure that a patient's records are completely up to date and visible to all relevant parties who have a valid need to access them, which is essential in terms of providing effective and joined up care.

Simon Young, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance, the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, comments: "The mobile aspect is highly important to us. Staff will no longer need to print and carry hard copies of patient records to and from appointments because they will be able to securely access Carenotes remotely. This is a more secure way of working, which ensures patient records are only visible to health professionals with appropriate clearance."

Carenotes will allow the Trust to move away from paper-based patient record-keeping, which will save time and facilitate more effective reporting and analysis. The system also provides reporting features which enable clinicians to measure and evaluate patient case outcomes against details of treatment provided, enabling the Trust to develop its program of clinical service on a continuous basis.

Simon Young says: "Carenotes will enable us to compile highly detailed reports about the clinical services we provide in a way that would be practically impossible using paper records. The reports we compile will be central to the continued evolution of the Trust."

Jim Chase, Managing Director, Advanced Health & Care, said: "We are looking forward to working with the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust. Carenotes is becoming the system of choice for trusts seeking transformational change in the quality of care, particularly through the mobilisation of clinical systems, which enables clinicians to securely access, maintain and share patient information at the point of care."

Advanced Health & Care, a division of Advanced Computer Software Group, is one of the fastest growing suppliers of leading IT solutions supporting 1,500 'out of hospital', community care provider organisations in the NHS, local government, third-sector and private sector.

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