Nurses at Derian House Children’s Hospice can now quickly access important child health information on a regional database, which will improve the care it provides for its children – and could be lifesaving when needing data in an emergency.
Derian House, based in Chorley, is one of the first hospices in the UK to gain access to Shared Care Record and can now access the Lancashire & South Cumbria Shared Care Record (L&SC SCR) – a digital system used by hospitals and GPs that brings together NHS patient clinical history into one place.
Since Derian House went live with the Shared Care Record on 7 February, staff at the hospice have been able to access the records of 196 children and young people in real time – when previously they might have had to wait days to receive this information.
And it’s not just about saving time—it means families don’t have to repeat their child’s medical story over and over.
The Shared Care Record is making it easier for healthcare teams from different areas and organisations – including Derian House – to provide better, more coordinated care.
Bridget Thomas, Clinical Director at Derian House, said: “The Shared Care Record will have a significant impact on care at Derian House for babies, children, young people, and their families. It allows us to access timely, up-to-date medical and clinical information, enabling us to plan the best possible care and ensure the safety of our children.
“Since many children attend multiple hospitals and appointments, this system means families only need to share their story once, and parents don’t have to remember detailed medical information. This helps us focus on what we do best – providing children with a fantastic experience.”
Catherine Randall, Chief Nurse at Derian House, said: “At Derian House we want to offer a paramount service for our families. Being able to access the Shared Care Record is fantastic for us as a hospice – we just haven’t had this opportunity before. By being able to check records, we can improve quality and safety. We can now access information in real time; whether its medication, family information, clinical care plans, hospital letters and this improves our advance care planning, and end of life care.”
Joe McGuigan, ICB Director of Digital Operations and Assurance and SCR programme director at NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “We are really pleased that the ICB has been able to provide real time access to children’s records for Derian House.
“Our aim is for every hospice with patients from Lancashire and South Cumbria to be able to access the information they need to provide the best end of life care possible. Derian House has been an exemplar in the way they have embraced the Shared Care Record, which means that families have only needed to tell their story once.
“We welcome the role they have played in promoting the Lancashire and South Cumbria Shared Care Record.”
Derian House, based in Chorley, Lancashire, cares for more than 400 seriously ill babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West helping them to make the most of every moment.
