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GPs and hospitals in England to share patient data under new Single Patient Record plans
GPs and hospitals in England to share patient data under new Single Patient Record plans
New legislation will require NHS organisations in England to share patient information as part of plans to create a Single Patient Record system designed to improve continuity of care and reduce fragmented healthcare records.
What’s changing?
Legislation to support the creation of Single Patient Records (SPRs) will be announced in this week’s King’s Speech as part of the government's wider plans to digitise the NHS.
The proposals will require GPs and hospitals in England to share patient information through a unified digital record system accessible across different parts of the health service.
The government says the move is intended to reduce the need for patients to repeatedly explain their medical history when moving between healthcare settings, while improving continuity and coordination of care.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the plans as a “gamechanger” that would allow NHS staff to deliver care “faster and more conveniently”.
The Department of Health and Social Care says parts of the system could begin to be available in areas including maternity and frailty care from early 2027.
Why this matters to podiatrists
For podiatrists working in the NHS and community settings, improved access to joined-up patient information could have significant implications for clinical safety and decision-making.
Podiatrists frequently manage patients with complex medical histories and multiple long-term conditions, particularly in areas such as diabetes and high-risk foot care. Access to more complete patient records could help reduce information gaps, improve continuity of care and support faster clinical decision-making across different services.
The Royal College of Podiatry has broadly welcomed moves towards greater digitisation within healthcare, particularly where improved access to information may support more preventative and coordinated models of care.
The government has also argued that the new system could help reduce administrative duplication and improve communication between healthcare providers.
Concerns over data governance and patient trust
Despite broad support for improving information sharing across the NHS, concerns have been raised about how Single Patient Records will operate in practice.
The British Medical Association has argued that GPs should retain control over patient data, citing concerns around confidentiality, patient trust and the potential for errors to be introduced into records by multiple organisations.
Meanwhile, the NHS Alliance has supported the principle of joined-up records while calling for clear safeguards around data responsibility, governance and access.
Questions have also been raised during the programme’s development around fragmented systems, inconsistent data quality and interoperability between different NHS software platforms.
What happens next
The Single Patient Record programme is currently in a “test and learn” phase involving clinicians, patients and healthcare organisations.
According to NHS England, feedback gathered through workshops, interviews and surveys has identified several implementation challenges, including usability issues, data sharing barriers and inconsistencies between existing systems.
Further detail on the legislation and implementation timetable is expected following the King’s Speech.
Links and references
NHS England: Single Patient Record – your health at your fingertips
The Royal College of Podiatry’s response to the 10 year health plan for England
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