What progress, including likely timescales for implementation, is being made in increasing access to health records through digital services, both between health and care settings and with the patient?
Welsh citizens are already able to access some digital health services nationally through the MyHealthOnline website. Some Health Boards have also trialled digital applications (for example, Swansea Bay University Health Board have trialled the application Patient Knows Best). Development of the NHS Wales App is well underway by the Digital Services for Public and Patients Programme (DSPP), this is delivered by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), with the proof of technical concept due to complete shortly and the initial release of the application planned for early summer 2022. Functionality within the NHS Wales App will be released iteratively as enabling services are developed, and the DSPP team is continuing to build a list of future functionality to expand the range of services that Welsh citizens will be able to access. The NHS Wales App will become the single front door to patients for accessing digital health and care services in Wales.
With regards to digital services for the sharing of data between health and social care settings, there are a broad range of programmes and projects being run to support the transformation of ways of working through the application of digital platforms. A Healthier Wales, Welsh Government’s long-term plan for health and social care, sets out the commitment to digital technologies enabling change. The Welsh Community Care Information System (WCCIS) is used across 29 local authorities and health boards in a number of disciplines, to allow the sharing of data between teams. DHCW is continuing to work with organisations (local authorities and health boards) to increase the uptake and usage of this digital platform.